Thinley Namgay

Two Bhutanese, Phuntsho Dema and Chainga Dorji came second in the international ‘My Life My Yoga’ online video blogging competition organised by the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy), India.

Contestants from 130 countries took part in the youth, amateur and professional categories. Of the 97 contestants from the country, 18 local vlogs (short video clips) got selected for the international competition.

Phuntsho Dema

The ministry of AYUSH organised the competition to celebrate the sixth International Day of Yoga in June. For the competition, each contestant uploaded a three-minute video on different yogic postures such as pranayama, kriya and asana. Indian yoga experts have assessed the videos.

Phuntsho Dema, 22, from Chali, Mongar said that the result surprised her. “The Covid-19 pandemic kept me engaged in yoga and such recognition is special,” the recent graduate of National Institute for Zorig Chusum in Thimphu said. “This recognition will set the foundation to pursue my future career as a yoga professional,” said Phuntsho Dema.   She did her yoga instructor course at the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana University in India.

The other winner, Chainga Dorji, 31, is a Yoga instructor at the Uma Resort in Paro. “I am happy and the result has encouraged me to do yoga further in life,” said Chainga who has a BSc degree in Yoga Therapy. He said that the awareness of yoga carried out by the Nehru Wangchuck Cultural Centre in the capital was making a positive impact.

Meanwhile, prizes for the winners will be declared soon.