EDISON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The largest Hindu students' group in North America announced the recipients of the 2015 ‘Light of Yoga’ award are Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Dr. H.R. Nagendra, Chairman of the Indian Government's Committee of Yoga Experts. Two others being honored are Hindu philosophy and spiritual leaders Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of Art of Living; and Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Convener of the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha, a body comprising of all ancient Hindu monastic orders. The award recognizes all four luminaries for their pioneering contributions to the International Day of Yoga and for their continued leadership in advocating spiritual and health benefits.
The recipients will be honored at an epic Global Dharma Conference. The Hindu Students Council (HSC), the largest Hindu youth organization in North America, is organizing a three-day 25th anniversary celebration which is expected to have an estimated three-thousand attendees during the weekend of September 11-13 in Edison, New Jersey.
“Yoga is the Kohinoor diamond of our ancient Hindu heritage and the sages discovered and developed it to benefit the entire humankind,” remarked Nikunj Trivedi, the Chairman of HSC. “Therefore, it is apt that India, which has always been the land of yogis and spiritual giants, takes this initiative and connects the world through a system of harmony.”
The panoramic images of people in yoga positions at world’s most well-known landmarks on International Day of Yoga were breathtaking. The Indian Prime Minister’s own demonstration of yoga posture with thousands of agile school children was deeply inspiring.
Yoga is one of the six classical systems of Hindu philosophy or “Darshanas.” Ashthanga Yoga philosophy and its wisdom, which are the most popular sources of today’s yoga movement, are rooted in this philosophical system. The Bhagavad Gita, one of the most revered Hindu scriptures, discusses various paths of yoga, such as the path of knowledge, the path of action, the path of devotion and others. It illustrates that yoga is beyond just the physical postures or "exercises" that have been so popularized in the mainstream.
The Global Dharma Conference aims to create a unique gathering of the followers of Dharma from all walks of life, including science, academia, religion, business, politics, arts and social service, in order to explore and discuss such topics as well as the applications of “Dharma” and principles of harmony in various ways. Those expected to address the audience include His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, His Holiness Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Dr. H.R. Nagendra, Fields Medalist Dr. Manjul Bhargava, renowned Vedic teacher and scholar Dr. David Frawley, noted public intellectual Mr. Rajiv Malhotra and others. The conference will also be attended key decision makers, leaders of organizations, experts, journalists and professionals from various fields, along with students from around the world.
