Hailing from Uttarakhand, Manmohan Bhandari holds the moniker of being the ‘Ramdev of China’. Thanks to the over 50 yoga centres run by him in China. Bhandari has been practising yoga for years and also runs several such centres in India.
News 18 brings you the exclusive story of the ‘Made in China’ Ramdev.
Scripted in Rishikesh
Bhandari met his future wife, Yin Yang in Rishikesh where the latter had come to learn yoga from legendary yoga guru BKS Iyengar, who was also Bhandari’s teacher. Yang is the editor of an international fashion magazine based in China.
After learning from Iyengar, the couple decided to move to China and start their own centres of yoga learning.
Thus in 2003, Bhandari left India and started his career in China at a time when yoga was not very popular in the country. Upon reaching China, the couple started a Yogi-Yoga Academy, which combined traditions and values of both India and China.
His yoga centers teach Surya namaskar and other asanas, and one can hear the chants of ‘Gayantri Mantra’ during meditation.
The ‘Chinese Ramdev’ asserted that four years ago, he and his wife earned four million dollars in just a year, and are now running a profitable venture in China.
Today, with almost 57 yoga centres in the country (as on 2011), Bhandari is settled in China though he still makes sure to visit India once a year.
Secret of his success
Bhandari’s career got a head start after the ministry of sports in China recognised yoga as a sport, thus giving a big boost to popularity and its intangible Indian heritage.
According to the Yoga Industry Development Report of 2017, there are 10,800 yoga schools in China. With the declaration of June 21 as International Yoga Day, the number of people enrolling in these schools and centres shot up in China.
Bhandari’s centres have churned out many yoga teachers and gets its trainers from India. Bhandari’s guru Iyengar himself has visited the centres in China and was reportedly impressed with his work.
His organisation also publishes books on yoga and Bhandari is quite popular among Chinese youth.
Comments
0 comment