Bikram Yoga founder and US-based Bikram Choudhary, founder of Bikram Yoga Center, has applied for the copyright for his teaching method of Yoga. This news has irked many yoga enthusiasts and experts in India. The Indian experts have said that the idea of patenting knowledge such as yoga is clearly ridiculous. This is a clear violation of the ancient Indian art.

According to the report, Bikram is originally belongs to Kolkata. At the age of four, he had started practicing yoga with Bishnu Ghosh. Bikram, himself a yoga guru now, teaches in California.

The then President Richard Nixon had invited him to the US in 1973. Later, he became one of the most sought-after yoga teachers in US. Recently, he applied for the patent of yoga in a steam room.

The news of patent for yoga attracted several criticisms in India and Swami Ramdev has asked the Indian government and yoga organizations to intervene in this matter to prevent Bikram’s move.

He said:

Yoga can’t be owned and run like a company. Since there are attempts to patent this tradition (of yoga) in America, the Centre and yoga organizations should take measures to prevent it.

He asked angrily that how can yoga be taught at a fix temperature of 45 degrees Celsius temperature. We all know that yoga is ideally taught in the cold Himalayas. He asked further that how can any Tom, Dick and Harry, who has no knowledge of century-old Indian tradition, can get patent of yoga?

According to the report, the US Patent and Trademark office has issued 150 yoga-related copyrights, 134 trademarks on yoga accessories and 2,315 yoga trademarks till date.

Read