On the occasion of National Youth Day, over 30,000 young people from across India gathered for a powerful collective experience of meditation, silence and reflection, led by global spiritual icon Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, as part of the India Youth Meditates with Gurudev initiative.

At a time when young Indians are increasingly seeking answers to stress, mental health challenges and lasting happiness, participants from over 600 cities and leading institutions, including IIMs, IITs, AIIMS, IISc Bengaluru, BHU, Jamia Millia Islamia and ICAI, among others, came together for a week-long immersion featuring advanced meditation, extended silence, soulful chanting, music, wisdom-filled interactions and joyful celebration.

A key highlight was the *Inspirational Youth Trailblazers of India Awards*, recognising young individuals whose courage, creativity and service have made a meaningful societal impact. Awardees included *Lt. Col. Rishi Rajalakshmi* (Indian Army) for gallantry, *Indian cricketer Sai Sudarshan* for sporting excellence, *Rapido Founder & CEO Rishikesh S.* for entrepreneurship, and *actress Sanchita Shetty* for excellence in Arts & Entertainment. Other honourees represented sustainability, organic farming, cinema, sport, social work and resilience, with special mentions for filmmaker *Rahul Riji Nairji* and endurance cyclist *Ninga Thojam Soni of Manipur*.

Addressing the youth, Gurudev said, “Youth is ready to take on challenges. Even when situations are not favourable, we move forward with confidence, knowing we will succeed.” Adding a light-hearted note, he remarked, “Meditation should not be taken too seriously. Dhyan means to be happy, happy from within.”

Participants travelled from *Kashmir to Kanyakumari*, including strong representation from the *North-East*, reflecting the diversity and unity of young India. Many described the experience as their first sustained encounter with inner stillness in an age of constant stimulation.

As the event concluded in silence, music and shared joy, it underscored a simple message: when youth are guided inward, clarity, confidence and purpose naturally emerge. Gurudev’s work, which has touched over 80 crore lives across 182 countries, continues to inspire a generation ready to face the world with steadiness and hope.

How many of our readers consider Yoga practice a possible means of prevention and treatment for the many non-communicable diseases from which they and their relatives may happen to suffer?

Many of us may be aware of the potential of Yoga to treat such conditions, although most may feel it preferable to visit their general practitioner and obtain a prescription for medication. How many of us see Yoga as a path to peace within themselves, and for humanity at large? We all want relief from the aches and pains that challenge us as we grow older, and the troubles we read about in newspapers, including this one. Most of us will reach for our bottle(s) of pills without giving the matter another thought. 

What we are neglecting when we do so, however, is that those pills will only treat the surface level of our problems. The roots will remain and continue to impact our quality of life. So will the wider problems that concern us every day. The advantages of Yoga and other systems of India’s AYUSH systems of medicine are that, in contrast to modern medicine, they attack the root causes. Most probably, the roots include some kind of stress, incurred in any number of ways. We have all heard of problems caused by stress, but most of us probably do not realise how simple it is to begin to reduce that stress, nor the magnitude of the advantages of doing so.  Enter Yoga, the ancient system of Vedic knowledge dating back to the times of the Saptarishis, long before Lord Krishna restored harmony and peace to Bharata (to use its Sanskrit form). While Yoga is well recognised as the system used by Sanyasis to obtain spiritual liberation, Moksha, few of us may know that in Vedic times it was recognized by Ayurveda as the preferred system to treat mental illness.

Today, scientific research has shown that one technique of meditation reduces hospitalisation for mental diseases by 85 per cent. Science is the language of our age, and so doctors and medical scientists like myself prefer to make their recommendations on the basis of quality research. Two of the most highly researched meditation techniques are Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and the Transcendental Meditation Technique of HH Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (often known in India simply as Mahesh Yogi). The advantages of the latter for heart disease (and other diseases caused by stress) are such that, in 2013, the American Heart Association published a statement in Hypertension, a top scientific journal, stating that the evidence was good enough for US General Practitioners to recommend it to patients. This statement was based on over four decades of research on many aspects of the technique and was unprecedented, taken as an insult by the drug companies!

India’s leading university teaching Yoga, the Swami Yogananda Anusandhana Samsthana (SVYASA) in Bangalore, also teaches a form of meditation, consisting of deep relaxation techniques, for which it has demonstrated excellent health benefits. S-VYASA is funded by the Government of India to accept foreign students to take rigorous, nationally accredited courses to become teachers of Yoga. These then return to their native lands to spread practice of Yoga, knowledge of its benefits, and also aspects of Vedic wisdom. India’s massive store of ancient knowledge is alive and well and slowly being disseminated among the world population.

Enabling India to bring the benefits of Yoga to its own population is even accepted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as a justifiable means to improve the health of China’s population, decrease the costs of maintaining its retired citizens, and improve their quality of life. The CCP has agreed on a plan for qualified teachers of Yoga from S-VYASA to teach Yoga teacher training courses in its western city of Kunming (some failed to be remunerated).

This highly significant program promising cooperation between the world’s two most populous nations has now been expanded to include the cities of Chengdu, Shenzhen, Zhenjiang, Guangzhou, Beijing, and Shanghai. In the first named, the famous Bihar School of Yoga founded by Swami Sivananda has been taking the lead. Swami Adi Parashaktiananda is reported to have been leading that particular initiative in recent years. This past weekend, it was very heartening to hear that during the 11th celebration of the International Day of Yoga (IDY) over the summer solstice, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the world’s largest ever community practice of Yoga consisting of 3 lakh (not 3,000, 3 lakh!) at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.  I myself was privileged to have been taken by S-VYASA Vice-Chancellor, Dr. H.R. Nagendra (now Chancellor) to the very first IDY, conceived by the Portuguese Confederation of Yoga, and held in Portugal’s capital city of Lisbon on 21st June, 2013, two years before being adopted by the Government of India.

I myself was privileged to have been taken by S-VYASA Vice-Chancellor, Dr. H.R. Nagendra (now Chancellor) to the very first IDY, conceived by the Portuguese Confederation of Yoga, and held in Portugal’s capital city of Lisbon on 21st June, 2013, two years before being adopted by the Government of India.

PM Narendra Modi’s eloquent speech in his first address to the United Nations after becoming India’s Hon’ble Prime Minister is well remembered. He advocated that the UN adopt the concept of the International Day of Yoga as a means to improve the health and happiness of the world population and promote harmony and peace throughout our planet. He promoted the vision of ‘Vasudeva Kutumbakam’ to make our world a safer place in the long-term, a theme that he emphasized in the form, “One World, One Family, One Future”, during India’s Chairmanship of the G20 group of countries in 2023.

In these profound ways, both the practice and philosophy of Yoga is being seen in a more and more serious and relevant fashion around the world. Even the Islamic world is inclined to take it seriously. Research papers on Yoga applications are frequently published by scientists from Islamic nations, particularly Iran. Yoga seems to have become a platform on which all the world’s nations can agree and participate despite the problems that may divide them on levels of doctrine and beliefs.

In this context, it is significant that the world’s greatest spiritual personalities see no differences between the goals that they seek. Outward forms may differ, but underlying unity characterizes the highest goal, the vision of oneness and unity that underlies all things. This message of ancient wisdom is found in the writings of India’s major religious groupings, Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, Sikhs, and yes, even adherents to Islam and Christianity. Avatars and/or great saints have emerged from all these religious groupings. Sri Madhukarnath also known as Sri M recounted towards the end of his classic, ‘Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master’, how on his pilgrimage to Mt Kailas, he was granted a vision of the many founders of these groupings seated together in harmony to guide our planet earth through the challenging times we now face on our journey to what will hopefully become a state of Heaven on Earth, Ramraj.

Attaining that global goal will only be possible as the knowledge and practice of Yoga become widely enough known and experienced to create peace. In that regard, the value of group practice of meditation by large groups of many thousands will be described in a future article, as will the differing effects of the many approaches to Yoga meditation.

In his famous speech to the World Congress of Religions in 1893, Swami Vivekananda spoke of the practical value of Yoga to religion, and how that brings a unifying element to resolve the seeming differences between different cultures, and between science and religion. He predicted that, in our 21st century, advances in science would enable the seemingly unbridgeable gulf between science and religion to be closed; and that the outcome would be a world at peace with itself, where differences would be seen to enrich the tapestry of humanity’s varying traditions; where ‘The Peace that Passeth Understanding’ (as described in Christianity), the Shalom of Judaism, the Salaam of Islam, and Mahatma Gandhi’s beloved principle of Ahimsa, the first of the six Yamas of Yoga’s first limb would guide us all to state of cooperation and collaboration, where our world would truly be One Family, Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti!

(The author is a MA (Cantab) PhD (MIT) DSc (Hon Causa) Professor Emeritus of Biology, MIT World Peace University)

Imagine waking up one day and struggling to see the world around you—blurry faces, unreadable text, and an inability to work or even move freely. Now, imagine knowing that a simple check-up, a pair of glasses, or a quick surgery could change your life forever. Yet, millions around the world don’t get that chance.

This is where Netra Kumbh 2025 steps in—not just as an eye-care camp, but as a movement, a revolution in vision restoration that blends medical excellence with the spirit of selfless service. While the world debates healthcare accessibility, India has once again shown how to take action at scale. Netra Kumbh 2025 is officially recognized by the India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records as the world’s largest temporary eye care initiative, providing over 2.37 lakh free eye screenings, 1.63 lakh free spectacles, and 17,069 surgeries—all in just 53 days!

But here’s the bigger story. This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about hope. It’s about dignity. It’s about a farmer in Bihar seeing his crops clearly for the first time, a child in Madhya Pradesh reading her schoolbook with ease, or an elderly woman in Tamil Nadu regaining her independence after cataract surgery.

The Global Vision Crisis: How Does India Compare?

We often think of blindness as an unavoidable fate, but 90% of the world’s vision impairment is actually preventable. With 2.2 billion people worldwide suffering from vision loss, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 1 billion of them could have been saved with timely intervention. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan, bear the highest burden due to lack of awareness, healthcare access, and affordability.

When comparing India to other global healthcare systems, the disparities are stark. In China, there is one ophthalmologist per 6,000 people, while India struggles with a ratio of one per 90,000 in rural areas. While China is leveraging AI diagnostics to tackle the problem, India is making community-driven initiatives like Netra Kumbh the driving force of change. Bangladesh faces an even greater challenge with only 1,200 ophthalmologists for 165 million people—a staggering 1:137,500 ratio—whereas Nepal has pioneered low-cost cataract surgeries, but India is setting the gold standard for large-scale vision programs. Sri Lanka, known for its universal school eye screening, has a strong preventive healthcare model, but India, through programs like Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), is catching up. The scale of Netra Kumbh 2025 alone has surpassed the impact of several national programs in just 53 days.

Netra Kumbh 2025: More Than Just a Camp

We all know how difficult it can be to get a doctor’s appointment in a crowded city, let alone in remote villages. Now, imagine a fully operational, state-of-the-art eye hospital popping up in the middle of a grand religious gathering, serving lakhs of people free of cost. That’s Netra Kumbh. This initiative is a one-of-a-kind blend of technology, medical expertise, and volunteerism.

Netra Kumbh 2025 operated on a massive scale, bringing together over 52 partner organizations and thousands of volunteers to create a fully functional 9-acre medical camp. The initiative was powered by AI-driven diabetic retinopathy screening, modern cataract surgeries, and the distribution of smart vision glasses (Jyoti) to the visually impaired. It successfully addressed multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), covering 12 out of 17 UN SDGs, including Good Health & Well-Being (SDG 3), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17). More than just a medical endeavor, it showcased how public-private collaboration can address avoidable blindness at an unprecedented scale, setting a global benchmark in humanitarian healthcare interventions.

Restoring Vision = Economic Upliftment

If you think vision loss is just a health problem, think again. It’s a massive economic issue. Blindness costs the global economy $411 billion annually due to lost work potential. Visual impairment doesn’t just affect individuals—it impacts entire families, leading to reduced income, increased caregiving burdens, and intergenerational poverty.

Netra Kumbh’s economic ripple effect is significant. By restoring vision, it helps lakhs of people regain their livelihoods, children stay in school, and families become self-sufficient. A study by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) shows that every $1 invested in vision care returns $4 in economic productivity. By screening 2.37 lakh people, Netra Kumbh has potentially unlocked crores in economic potential—not just for individuals, but for entire communities.

What’s Next? Taking This Model Global

Netra Kumbh 2025 was not just about fixing eyes. It was about reimagining public health interventions. Mass screening initiatives like this prove that large-scale medical outreach is possible even in the most challenging conditions. India’s Aravind Eye Care model has already demonstrated the power of such interventions, but Netra Kumbh scaled it to unprecedented levels. The event also highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships, with NGOs, hospitals, and volunteers coming together to create a community-driven healthcare model that is more effective than top-down approaches.

With a shortage of 100,000 ophthalmologists in India, integrating tele-ophthalmology and AI-assisted diagnostics is the next frontier. By mainstreaming AI-powered eye screening and leveraging telemedicine, India can bridge the healthcare divide and ensure that eye care reaches even the most remote communities.

Final Thoughts: Why This Matters to You

At its core, Netra Kumbh 2025 is a testament to what is possible when sewa meets science. It’s not just an eye camp; it’s a model for healthcare transformation in developing nations. It proved that large-scale medical intervention is possible even in the most challenging conditions. It showcased India’s ability to lead in global healthcare discussions. Most importantly, it gave lakhs of people a second chance at life.

As we look ahead, this initiative should not just be celebrated, but replicated. If Netra Kumbh can happen in the heart of a religious gathering, why not in every district, every state, every country in need? Because vision is not a privilege—it’s a right. And Netra Kumbh is ensuring that no one is left in the dark.

This article is authored by Ms. Hemangi Sinha, Project Head, World Intellectual Foundation & Mr. Pravin Kumar Singh, Senior Project Associate, World Intellectual Foundation.

Authored by Dr. C.V. Ananda Bose and internationally acclaimed yoga expert Mansi Gulati, Yoga Unbound echoes the profound words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi: “What unites us is Yoga.” This insightful book delves into the transformative essence of yoga, illustrating how it bridges the personal and universal, fostering harmony among mind, body, and soul.

Blending timeless yogic wisdom with modern life lessons, the authors present an inspiring narrative that transcends borders and cultures. Through captivating anecdotes, philosophical insights, and practical guidance, the book illuminates yoga's immense potential as a unifying force in today’s fragmented world. It explores how yoga is not merely a physical practice but a way of life, guiding individuals towards mindfulness, resilience, and spiritual awakening.

The book’s unique approach intertwines personal experiences with universal truths, making it a profound guide for anyone seeking balance, inspiration, and inner peace. Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or a curious beginner, Yoga Unbound offers valuable insights into how yoga can transform your perspective, foster meaningful connections, and cultivate a sense of oneness with the world around you.

Special gratitude is extended to Prof. (Dr.) Ajay Rana, Director General and former Vice Chancellor of Amity University Greater Noida Campus, for his invaluable guidance and insightful contributions to this book. His wisdom has enriched its narrative, making it a beacon of inspiration for readers across the globe.

Yoga Unbound is not just a book; it is a call to embrace yoga as a path to personal growth and global unity—a timeless journey towards realizing the interconnectedness of all life.

Ghee, a beloved staple in Indian kitchens, isn’t just known for enhancing flavors in parathas and halwas—it also holds a wealth of health benefits. But have you heard about ghee water? Yes, mixing a teaspoon of ghee into warm water and drinking it on an empty stomach can do wonders for your overall well-being. Intrigued? Let’s explore how this simple morning drink can transform your health.

Five Incredible Benefits of Drinking Ghee Water in the Morning

1. Boosts Immunity
Ghee is loaded with butyric acid, a compound known for its positive impact on gut health. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a healthy gut is key to a strong immune system. Drinking ghee water in the morning strengthens gut flora, helping your body better fight off infections and illnesses.

2. Improves Digestion
Butyric acid also plays a major role in improving digestion. Ghee water soothes the digestive tract, alleviating issues like bloating, gas, and constipation. By starting your day with this warm drink, you’ll enjoy smoother digestion and a happy tummy throughout the day.

3. Promotes Glowing Skin
Dreaming of naturally radiant skin? Ghee water helps detoxify your body, flushing out impurities that dull your skin. Its nourishing properties tackle dryness, leaving your skin clear, hydrated, and glowing.

4. Strengthens Bones and Joints
Ghee is rich in healthy fats that support joint flexibility and reduce inflammation. When combined with warm water, it promotes the health of connective tissues and keeps your bones strong.

5. Aids Detoxification
Looking to cleanse your system? Ghee water is an excellent natural detoxifier. Research published in the IP Journal of Nutrition, Metabolism and Health Science shows that ghee helps bind and eliminate toxins from the body. By kick-starting your metabolism, it leaves you feeling lighter and refreshed.

Make ghee water a daily ritual and unlock a healthier, glowing, and more energetic version of yourself!

Scientists have raised concerns about a new, more contagious Covid-19 variant known as XEC, which is spreading rapidly across Europe and could soon become the dominant strain. First identified in Germany in June, XEC has since appeared in countries like the UK, US, Denmark, and several others. A sublineage of the Omicron variant, XEC is a hybrid of two earlier subvariants, KS.1.1 and KP.3.3, which are currently dominant in Europe.

With over 500 samples detected in 27 countries, including Poland, Norway, Portugal, Ukraine, and China, experts are observing strong growth of XEC, particularly in Denmark, Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands. According to Professor Francois Balloux, Director of the Genetics Institute at University College London, XEC has a "slight transmission advantage" over other recent Covid-19 variants. However, he reassured that vaccines should still provide significant protection against severe illness.

Eric Topol, Director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in California, highlighted that XEC is "just getting started" and may take several weeks or months to become a major threat. He warned that XEC could cause a wave of infections, possibly becoming the dominant variant this winter.

The symptoms of XEC are similar to those of previous Covid-19 variants, including fever, sore throat, cough, loss of smell, loss of appetite, and body aches. Despite its increased transmissibility, experts believe that staying updated with vaccines and booster shots will help prevent severe cases and hospitalizations.

Additionally, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises continued good hygiene practices and improving indoor air quality to reduce transmission risks. Researchers are also calling for closer monitoring of XEC to better understand its progression and symptoms as it spreads.

Komal Kumar, a PhD candidate in biological sciences at Michigan Technological University, working under the guidance of Dr. Thomas Werner, has made a remarkable discovery: three genes that are responsible for cancer and disease in humans also dictate the spot patterns on fruit flies. This breakthrough paves the way for exploring these genes in fruit flies, potentially offering new insights into treating human diseases.

The shared genetic toolkit between humans and fruit flies enables researchers to study genetic disorders and cancer using these tiny organisms. Dr. Raja, captivated by how DNA encodes instructions for body structures, patterns, and behaviors, uses animal color patterns to model his investigations. His research has revealed that genes influencing pigment spots in animals have counterparts in humans, and abnormalities in these genes can lead to cancer and developmental disorders. Studying abdominal spots in miniature fruit flies provides a valuable model to understand how genes contribute to these conditions.

"We've identified proto-oncogenes, which, when dysregulated during development, can cause diseases like cancer," explains Dr. Raja. "These genes establish body plans during development and orchestrate pigment patterns on the abdomen. Importantly, they are conserved across all animals, including humans."

Dr. Raja's work demonstrates how developmental genes can adapt to influence new traits, such as painting spots and patterns on animal bodies and wings, without the need for new genetic inventions. "It's akin to adding a new fabric panel to an existing garment," he notes.

Dr. Raja's findings have been published in prestigious journals such as PLoS One and Genes, focusing on gene expression patterns and developing novel methods to map gene locations on the wings and bodies of various fruit fly species. "Our newly developed techniques will help us explore how genes contribute to abdominal pigment patterns and how this information is encoded in DNA," says Dr. Raja.

"Any disease or developmental disorder arises from genes behaving abnormally," Dr. Raja emphasizes. "Our research aims to decipher how these genes are regulated and how they influence other genes and developmental pathways." He believes that the ultimate goal of studying these genes is to identify targets for therapy against developmental diseases and cancer. "By addressing these genes' malfunctions, we aim to improve health outcomes significantly, offering a brighter future for many," he concludes, underscoring the monumental impact of investigating these miniature organisms.

Komal Kumar's research highlights the power of model organisms like fruit flies in genetic research and underscores the potential for translating these findings into tangible benefits for human health. By bridging the gap between basic biological research and clinical applications, researchers like Dr. Raja are at the forefront of a scientific revolution that could transform our understanding and treatment of genetic disorders and cancer.

(About Dr. Komal Kumar Bollepogu Raja, PhD, Department of Pathology, Dr. Graeme Mardon Laboratory, Baylor College of Medicine. Houston, Texas)