GOPIO and Indian Consulate Celebrate International Day of Yoga 2025 Hosted by Filmmaker Tirlok Malik

GOPIO’s International Day of Yoga 2025 (IDY-2025) celebration hosted by Happy Life Yoga Speaker and Emmy Nominated Filmmaker Tirlok Malik on Sunday, June 22nd from 10:00 am – 11:30 am (EST, US | Canada) was a resounding success. This year, GOPIO-Manhattan joined hands with Consulate General of India in New York with GOPIO-Manhattan, Happy Life Yoga, The Indian Panorama & Indian American Forum, hosted a highly interactive and informative virtual Yoga event featuring experts and speakers from various walks of life. GOPIO-Manhattan started Happy Life Yoga in 2021 during Covid on the Zoom. GOPIO International and its chapters have cooperated and participated with the Indian Missions in the celebration all over the world and GOPIO chapters have also organized sessions with their own initiatives in many cities.



Yoga Day Celebration on the Zoom has been continued for the last four years since GOPIO could bring speakers and participants from all over the world together. The Session on the Zoom had light Yoga exercise while sitting in the chair, meditation and on breathing and of course, a lot of laughter and was entertaining as well.



Consul General of India in New York Shri Binaya Srikanta Pradhan in his message welcomed the diaspora and encouraged them to practice Yoga in their day-to-day lives. GOPIO International Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham, who serves as an advisor to GOPIO-Manhattan, in his welcome address, spoke about the objectives of GOPIO and urged those who are not members yet to join the GOPIO International organization or a nearby chapter. 

The theme for this year was centered on the universal question: “HOW TO STAY PEACEFUL AND HAPPY IN THE MIDST OF THE WORLD TODAY?” 



GOPIO International President Prakash Shah spoke about the monthly events starting with Yoga as the first such monthly event in the series of events that will be organized globally by GOPIO Chapters locally to engage the Diaspora and enrich each other with the learnings.



Speakers included Professor Indrajit Saluja (Chief Editor, The Indian Panorama), Indu Jaiswal (Chairperson, Indian American Forum), Beena Kothari (President, GOPIO New York & AIA NY), Giving Back Foundation Founder and CEO Meera Gandhi (gave her greetings via a message), Lotus in the MUD Founder Parveen Chopra, Vegan Ambassador Anil Narang, Dr. Renee Mehrra (South Asian Broadcast Journalist), Young Filmmaker Sneha Jain and Neha Lohia (gave her greetings via a message). Each speaker shared their mantra, which was very valuable. 

Participants joined across the globe notably from USA, Canada, African Continent, India, Mexico, New Zealand, etc. including Global Peace Secretariat Founder and Social Activist Kumu Gupta, AIA National President Gobind Munjal, GOPIO Woman’s Council Co-Chair Jayashri Chintalapudi and GOPIO Life Member and community leader from New Zealand Suman Kapoor.



The event was energetic, knowledgeable, inspiring, and celebratory. Tirlok Malik, Emmy-nominated filmmaker and Happy Life Yoga speaker (no mats needed!), hosted the session and interacted with all the prominent speakers on the panel to discover their mantras for happiness.



He led so many laughs, and let other speakers lead a laughter session; there was much laughter. Emphasizing Yoga's growing importance in today’s world, Malik explains his vision behind Happy Life Yoga as “a way of living inspired by the wisdom of Ayurveda, Yoga, and Indian Philosophy.” 



This interactive global workshop encouraged loving yourself, eating right, thinking right, and moving right. It’s your responsibility to take care of your happiness and health using the tools shared by Malik and other speakers. Tirlok Malik has conducted over 100 Happy Life Yoga workshops in five years. 



Bhavya Gupta (Founding Member of GOPIO Manhattan) and Shivender Sofat (President & Founding Member of GOPIO Manhattan) have been organizing IDY every year since past four years with support from Consulate General of India, Happy Life Yoga and various organizations locally. 



GOPIO International Secretary Siddharth Jain (Founding Member of GOPIO Manhattan) gave a vote of thanks to all the speakers and the audience. He ended the session leading a laughter session. GOPIO-Manhattan, in accordance with its mission to serve the larger society and those in need, has taken several initiatives since its founding in 2020.



GOPIO-Manhattan, in accordance with its mission to serve the larger society and those in need, has taken several initiatives since its founding in 2020. A Community Feeding is organized by the Chapter providing a vegetarian lunch for the homeless and needy at Tomkins Square Park in Manhattan on the last Monday of every month. The chapter appeals to the community to support the initiative by being a volunteer and/or a sponsor.