BIS framing quality standards for yoga equipment amid rising yoga popularity

New Delhi: Amid the growing popularity of yoga across the world, the government's Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) on Tuesday said it is framing standards for yoga equipment and some traditional herbal medicines on request from the Ayush Ministry.

Addressing a press conference, BIS Director General Pramod Kumar Tiwari said the Bureau has already framed standards on the glossary of yoga terminology, yoga mat and yoga centre.

"We are also working on yoga equipment like the one used for jal neti kriya as well as some traditional herbal medicines," he said.

Already standards for 17 herbs out of identified 34 have been published, he said.

The standard framed for 'yoga centre' specifies the service requirements for operations, benchmarking and infrastructure, including minimum qualification for yoga wellness instructors and staff of the yoga centre.

The glossary of yoga terminology covers a brief description/ definition of terminologies related to common yoga terms. The original terms appearing in the text have been transliterated and defined for a clear understanding of the concept for those who are not in yoga. These terms may be used by having the background of researchers, academicians, regulators, clinical practitioners and other enthusiasts interested in the science of yoga.

The BIS started working on the standardisation of yoga-related equipment and herbal medicines on request from the Ayush Ministry. A separate department has been created for this purpose in the BIS, Tiwari said.