Nashik: Even as yoga enthusiasts in Nashik would roll out their mats on Thursday to celebrate fourth International Yoga Day, the bitter fact remains that two ambitious Yoga projects related to Nashik are yet to see the light of the day.While one of the projects is related to establishment of an International Yoga University, the other is related to introduction of yoga in medical curriculum of medical colleges in the state pending with the city-based Maharashtra University of Health Sciences.A section of Nashik’s yoga practitioners, experts and academicians admitted that they are disappointed as nothing has happened about these projects so far. In December 2014, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had declared a Yoga University for Nashik during the Rising Nashik event in Mumbai.A city-based NGO ‘Eco Drive’ is amongst the individuals and organizations that is following up this issue relentlessly since then. Kiran Chavan, a member of Eco Drive, had even made a presentation on viability and benefits of the Yoga University in Nashik to Prime Minister Narendra Modi back in 2016.After the presentation, the PM had directed AYUSH ministry to consider the proposal. When TOI contacted directorate of AYUSH of Maharashtra State, a senior official shared a copy of letter issued by the Directorate to the Trimbakeshwar Temple Trust.“We have demanded 25 acre land in possession of the Trimbakeshwar Trust for establishment of this university. We have also sent reminders to the trust officials, but are yet to get response from them,” the official said.Trimbakeshwar Temple Trust said the land that that can be a part for the project is a disputed one and it has taken up the issue with the district administration. “We have heard nothing from the district administration so far,” said a trust official.The other project involves the proposal mooted by Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) to start Post-Graduation Diploma course in Yoga.The varsity had sent the proposal last year to various statutory bodies like Medical Council of India (MCI). But there has been no response from them so far. The proposed two-year diploma course is meant for all branches of medical sciences in the state.“The university needs to get nods from the University Grants Commission (UGC), AYUSH ministry and governing bodies of other faculties of health sciences to finalize the syllabus, credit system and valuation of yoga courses. We are in the process of getting these permissions and grants,” K D Chavan, registrar of MUHS, said.While accepting that the proposal is pending from last one-and-a-half year, Chavan expressed hope that the course will start by the next academic year. “I am hopeful that the MUHS will soon get all the permissions and we will start the courses by next academic year. MUHS will be the first health science university to have full-fledged degree course on Yoga,” he added.

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