Aasha Khosa/New Delhi

On the International Yoga Day, Dr. Badrul Islam Kairanvi, the first Muslim Yoga expert from India, is contended to see the popularity and global recognition of this ancient Indian way of fitness for mind and soul and, yet, is determined to make every Indian practice it.

Dr Islam is also a Unnani practioner, who retired as a senior officer in the Government of India. He has authored a medical book in the Urdu language, "Yoga – The Source of Natural Therapy", and a revised edition, "The Source of Natural Health". 

He says fitness of the human mind and body is the key to realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of making India as a developed nation by 2047.

Yoga is so vast that it offers exercise for strenghtening each organ and muscle of the body. "When I demonstrate a 100-kg person standing on my abdomen without causing me any pain, I make a profound point,” he said while showing his pictures of holding training sessions to Awaz-the Voice on the ever of IYD.

During a worshop in Jamia Miliia Islami, Delhi

He contines to look out for opportunities to introduce Yoga as a wellness therapy and way of life to humans.

“The Arab world is in turmoil; if we from Indi go in with healing regimen of Yoga, it will help the people there and also promote India’s medical tourism,” he quips while speaking with Awaz-the Voice on the eve of the IYD.

Dr. Islam has taught Yoga for 45 years in governmental institutions and written books on the subject. Looking back, Islam remembers the days when he was shunned by Muslims in the mosque during namaz because he was a Yoga professional.

Yoga Guru Islam who hails from Kairana village in Western UP and lives in Delhi says, “It’s a great feeling to see the world embrace this ancient Indian science of body and mind.”

From being ostracized by Muslims and ignored by others for learning Yoga, Dr. Islam has come a long way. Today he is invited by the Muslim religious institutions and places to train common people and those holding religious positions.

He said so far trained 35 lakh Muslim youth, Imams, and Maulvis into practicing Yoga. He has conducted Yoga workshops in 65 madrasa, and Islamic religious institutions. In 2017, he trained all the Imams of Delhi mosque in Yoga practices.

In the run-up to International Yoga Day, he conducted a workshop on Yoga in the Jamia Milia Islamia (central university), Delhi where inmates of the hostels, staff, and students were involved. “By the time it was time for International Yoga Day, the interests of youth had turned into a junoon (Passion): They told me they want to do it every day, “ Dr. Islam told Awaz-the Voice.

Dr. Kairanvi's work includes promoting "Islamicized Yoga" and training groups in Egypt, Bangladesh, and various Indian states. He has served the health ministry and has been involved in numerous yoga-related events, including workshops, camps, and training courses.

He is also the founder of the DrBIK Yoga Physical Medicine Centre for Health and Happiness and Yoga Teachers Training Institute in New Delhi. 

As a Yoga professional working with the government of India, he was responsible for cobbling syllabi and a training regimen for Yoga in schools.

His Mantra for motivating everyone to do yoga is to customize for each person and community’s needs.“Everyone has to move together; a country that limps (using one leg only) can not run,” he says on harmonizing Yoga with India's diversity.

His vision is that all Indians must be seen as symbols of India as they practice Yoga.

He remembers while working as a staff in the health Ministry, officials did not care about Yoga and Ayush practinioner. “They were treated with smirks and called Madari (jugglers). I would treat them nicely and I believe their tips and blessings have taken me to this stage.”

Conducting a workshop at Jamia Milia islamia

The affable Dr Islam has a long list of achievement. He has conducted 500 Yoga projects, trained more than 50 thousands government teachers and through them one million youth in Yoga Fitness Practices.

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He has authored five Yoga Books and 6 Booklets and created training modules for imparting Yoga training in central schools. In short Dr Islam's rise as a Yoga practioner and trainer runs parallel to Yoga's growth as a globally recognised regimen.