LIGHT OF EDUCATION IS LIGHT OF GOD

I share the following excerpt from the above-captioned article in The Telegraph dated Monday 17 August 2009 reported by T. V. Jayan on the scientific evidence of the benefits of yogic postures, especially Surya Namaskar that convinces us to harvest the health benefits of morning walk in the lockdown world through Surya Namaskar. " The "S.N." in his name does not stand for "Surya Namaskar". But it may not be inappropriate for S.N. Omakar, an aerospace researcher at the Banglore-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc), to have the term as his second name, considering his contribution to the art of yoga, particularly Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation. Omkar --- who is also the yoga coach of the Indian Cricket team --- recently demonstrated why Surya Namaskar is one of the best forms of exercise for the human body. And that's a claim he supports with his own scientific studies.

According to a study by him that appeared last week in the journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, regularly practising Surya Namaskar aids in bone formation (osteogenesis) and bone remodelling.........Independent experts agree that performing Surya Namaskar every day greatly benefits mental and physical wellbeing......... To prove his point, Omkar developed a mathematical model to tabulate the forces acting on the various joints in the body ---- such as wrists, elbows, shoulders, hip, knees, and ankles ---- during the 10 different postures the exercise involves.

According to him, a major joint is overstressed during any of the sequences. At the same time, the activity burns calories at rates comparable to those of many rigorous aerobic exercises. For instance, quoting his own earlier work, the IISc scientist says that if a person weighing 70 kg does the exercise 120 times at a stretch ---- and this can be done in around 55 minutes --- he or she could burn up to 380-kilo calories, which is almost equal to the energy expenditure in one hour of brisk walking. A product of B.K.S. Iyengar School of Yoga in Pune, Omkar was always interested in unravelling the science behind different yoga postures. An opportunity beckoned to him when recently the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) approached him for a project............ Whatever be the research methodology, one thing seems clear: understanding the scientific basis of yoga asanas and pranayamas will enable their use in therapy in a more effective manner."