Joining millions of yoga enthusiasts worldwide, fifty five visually impaired students experienced a yoga session on International Yoga Day on 21^st June. India Vision Institute, St. Louis School for the Deaf and Blind and 136.1 Yoga Studio partnered to bring yoga to these students. The event was conducted at the auditorium of St. Louis School for the Deaf and Blind, Adyar.

Mr Vinod Daniel, CEO of IVI said, “Many of these students have never experienced yoga. We are glad that this International Yoga Day brings them this new experience, which is something the average sighted person might take for granted. This is an enriching experience that will prove beneficial to them in the long term. It is important for society and the government to work towards providing them with such opportunities. ”

The students enjoyed the novel experience and said that yoga was an activity they would like to continue. About 95% of them had never experienced yoga prior to this class. Instructor Kalaiarasi led them through various asanas and breathing exercises. The students found the yoga class very mentally relaxing as well as physically refreshing, and they were happy to get the chance to try out yoga.

136.1 is India’s first chain of integrated yoga studios and offers the flexibility of learning yoga from a multitude of disciplines such as Hatha, Iyengar, Sivananda, Satyanada Yoga and Power Yoga.

India Vision Institute (IVI) is an independent, not-for-profit registered trust established in 2011, an initiative of the L V Prasad Eye Institute of Hyderabad and the Brien Holden Vision Institute, Sydney. It is focused on supporting and promoting eye health awareness, research, education and technological development in Indian optometry to advance capacity in vision correction, and prevention of eye disease and blindness.