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Nickelodeon celebrates International Yoga Day with #YogaSeHiHoga campaign
KOLKATA: Nickelodeon continues to celebrate International Yoga Day year-on-year to engage its little fans and make Yoga a daily practice. This year, the kids’ entertainment channel is taking Yoga Day activities a notch higher with the latest edition of its fun and spirited #YogaSeHiHoga campaign.
As a part of the initiative, the brand has partnered with SARVA Yoga Studios, a wellness start-up, to bring Yoga closer to its little fans and educate them about the enormous benefits derived from Yoga. Nickelodeon and SARVA are bringing yoga to the audience in a fun manner through a unique interactive Yoga workshop with Nicktoons Shiva, Rudra, and Happy. The brand has also curated workshops with yoga experts from SARVA studios to instil a healthy lifestyle that is sure to de-stress kids in these difficult times.
Viacom18 Kids TV Network, marketing head Sonali Bhattacharya said, “At a time when a large part of a child’s routine has changed with great restrictions on physical movement, we believe that with this unique campaign and with the power of our amazing Nicktoons, kids would get the stress buster they so deserve! By collaborating with like-minded partners, we are creating innovative and safe moments for kids to be healthy and happy in difficult times like this.”
Ministry of AYUSH, joint secretary PN Ranjit Kumar said, the ministry is happy to support Nickelodeon’s initiative Yoga Se Hi Hoga second time after seeing the excellent response received from little yogis last year. “As the pandemic continues to challenge us, it is noteworthy to see kids brands like Nickelodeon coming forward to highlight the ability of Yoga to strengthen immunity. The campaign aligns with the theme of IDY 2021 ‘Yoga for wellness’, and we hope that people utilize this period as an opportunity to strengthen their health through Yoga practice,” he added.
SARVA founder Sarvesh Shashi said, “SARVA has always aimed to break the myth that Yoga is boring. During the pandemic, the presence of a positive, friendly influence like the Nick toons only encourages children to keep practising and have fun while doing so. We are so glad to have tied up with Nickelodeon especially during this time where we have been urging the world saying #StartTohKaro!”
The campaign will be promoted by a 360-degree marketing and communications plan which will include on-air promotions across the Nickelodeon franchise, digital promotions, and a robust program of mommy networks and influencers who will amplify the reach to audiences at large.
In addition to this, a virtual workshop is designed for all Viacom18 employees and their kids. Furthermore, the initiative will be brought alive on social media through a #YogaSeHiHoga program and a Kid Yoga Series through an array of fun short-form videos encouraging kids to imbibe Yoga in their daily lifestyle. Kids can upload their picture/video of them doing their favourite yoga pose on nickindia.com and the best ones would get featured on the channel.
To emphasize the tremendous advantages that Yoga offers, the brand has collaborated with child prodigies Ishwar Sharma and Harsha Nivetha to come forward and extend their support to the initiative. Through a host of quirky videos and actions on-air, and Yoga workshops by Nicktoons, the entire campaign will be supported by the Ministry of AYUSH.
In 2019, Nickelodeon celebrated International Yoga Day wherein Nicktoons Motu-Patlu performed Yoga with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and 40,000 people at Prabhat Tara Ground, Ranchi, and collaborated with Mumbai’s biggest Yoga event – ‘Yoga by the Bay’. Last year, owing to the pandemic, Nickelodeon celebrated Yoga Day virtually in partnership with AYUSH ministry to inculcate yoga habits and highlight the importance of building a healthier immune system. The digital partnership was extensively promoted through interactive posts, videos, followed by a nationwide contest that reached out to over 630,000 mothers & kids combined through digital mediums and 3000+ entries received under the Yoga contest hosted on the brand platform.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
