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Kota Kinabalu: Himalayan Yoga Science Society Sabah (HYSSS) President Sukumaran Vanugopal said yoga offers a low-cost and accessible path to healthy ageing through its combined physical, mental and social benefits.

“Healthy ageing is not just about adding years to life, but adding meaningful life to those years,” he said at the International Day of Yoga celebration held at the Sri Pasupathinath Temple Hall in Bukit Padang, here, Sunday.

“Let us invest our time in yoga, which offers a low-cost and easily accessible means of supporting life,” said Sukumaran, a lawyer by profession and a trained yoga teacher in the Himalayan tradition.

He said yoga, as a holistic science integrating the body, mind and soul, addresses ageing across three dimensions: physical, mental and social well-being.

According to him, unlike competitive sports that may expose participants to injury risks, yoga offers gentle exercises that help keep both the limbs and internal organs in good condition.

“No sport pays such minute attention to keeping each and every part of the body in tune,” he said.

On the mental dimension, Sukumaran said meditation, an integral aspect of yoga, activates the body’s relaxation response and lowers stress hormones such as cortisol, thereby protecting the cardiovascular and immune systems while reducing anxiety and improving memory and concentration.

He added that yoga also promotes social well-being by bringing practitioners together through regular classes, retreats and community events.

“Yoga helps us age not in isolation but in companionship and dignity,” he said.

Sukumaran noted that forgetfulness, often associated with ageing, could be reduced through the mindful practice of yoga poses, breathing, speaking, eating and working.

“The brain is trained to be mindful. Daily activities are no longer performed automatically without engaging the mind,” he said.

“By combining gentle movement, stretching, breathing exercises and mindfulness, yoga supports balance, flexibility, strength and mobility while also promoting mental well-being and stress management.

“Because it can be adapted to different fitness levels and health conditions, it offers an accessible option for older adults to maintain their physical and emotional health.

“These benefits align with several goals of the World Health Organisation’s Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021-2030, including promoting independence, reducing the risk of falls and enhancing quality of life,” he said.

Sukumaran said that June 21 was chosen as the International Day of Yoga because it coincides with the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, a date regarded by many cultures and spiritual traditions as significant and associated with light, vitality, growth and renewal.

“India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the idea to the United Nations General Assembly in September 2014, and the resolution was subsequently adopted by consensus with 177 member states as co-sponsors,” he said.

The celebration, themed “Yoga for Healthy Ageing”, marked the 12th International Day of Yoga and featured yoga performances, experience-sharing sessions and a talk by Universiti Malaysia Sabah Senior Medical Lecturer Dr Vennila Gopal on breath and the human nervous system.

Guests were also treated to a yoga session conducted by former HYSSS President Datin Judy Rajah, a highly respected yoga teacher with more than 30 years of teaching experience who has studied under renowned Himalayan masters, including Swami Rama and Swami Veda Bharati.

For the record, HYSSS was founded on March 30, 2012, and is registered as a non-profit organisation under Malaysian law.

It is the only society in Malaysia affiliated with the Association of Himalayan Yoga Meditation Societies International.

The society traces its roots to the late 1990s when a small group of aspirants led by Datuk Rajah Indran brought the teachings of the Himalayan Yoga Tradition to Sabah, receiving the blessings of Swami Rama during his visit to the State.

Among those present were Sri Pasupathinath Temple President Datuk Dr Mathavan Karuppiah and Malaysia Hindu Sangam Sabah State Council Chairman Datuk Dr G Mohan.