Indian Prime Minister criticised the commercialisation of yoga on Wednesday, pointing out that it is free of copyrights and patents.

“Yoga is free from copyrights, free from patents and free from royalty payments”, he said at the International Day of Yoga celebrations at the UN headquarters in New York. 

Particularly in the US, but also elsewhere, yoga teachers and organisations claim copyrights and royalties and, sometimes, sue in courts.

For example,  Indian yoga guru Bikram Choudhury sued an organisation that he claimed had violated his copyright on yoga practice.

But US federal courts threw out his case.

Modi welcomed the medical and scientific research of yoga.

“I'm delighted that many of you are working on scientifically validating, different aspects of yoga, indeed, this is the way”, he said speaking before about 1,800 people.

“Yoga comes from India and it has a very old tradition”, Modi said, "but like all ancient Indian traditions, it is also living, dynamic”.

“Yoga is a way of life, a holistic approach to health and well being, a way to mindfulness in thought and action”, he said, “a way to live in harmony with self with others and with nature”.

(SAM)