PM Narendra Modi performed yoga at Rajpath along with a gathering of35,000 people as part of International Yoga Day celebrations on June 21 lastyear./ Source: Yonhap News

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By Ha Man-joo, India correspondent, AsiaToday - The Indian government will set up a department of yogic arts and sciences ahead of the 2nd International Yoga Day on the 21st.

Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani recently said that six universities will have full-fledged departments of yoga from academic session 2016-17 and the department would be opened in at least 14 more universities by the end of this year. Irani said, "I call upon all those professors researchers and academicians who can help us quantify empirical evidence with regard to the benefits of yoga and yogic sciences."

The decision was based on recommendations of Dr. H R Nagendra, chairman at yoga organization S-VYASA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's yoga guru. Dr. Nagendra suggested certificate, bachelors, masters and PhD courses in yogic science.

Irani also presented an analysis conducted by IIT Kharagpur of chanting "Om" during yoga practices. This action seems to resolve the Hinduism chanting controversy surrounding chanting of 'Om.'  

New Delhi residents performing yoga in a town park./ Photographed by HaMan-joo

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PM Modi will joined a program to practice yoga on International Yoga Day with 25,000 residents for nearly 45 minutes at Chandigar, the capital of the states Haryana and Punjab. Last year, he practiced yoga at Rajpath in New Delhi with 35,000 residents.

Nearly 50 Union Ministers will participate in the yoga performance across the country on Tuesday for the second International Yoga Day Program. Ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, and Smriti Irani have been assigned the task of leading the program in Lucknow, Mumbai, and Bhopal, respectively.

This event reminds of a two-week event of gatherings where ministers explained the state administration in 200 cities across the country in celebration of Modi government's second anniversary on May 26, naturally arousing 'politicization of yoga' controversy.

In response, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said a person who politicizes health matters is politically bankrupt and hence needs to practice yoga.