Advocates at least one trained yoga teacher in every Nepali household as UK tour promotes yoga, meditation and Ayurveda

READING, United Kingdom — Australia-based Nepali yoga teacher and spiritual educator Acharya Rajan Sharma has called for a national campaign to establish Nepal as a “Yoga Nation,” proposing that at least one member of every Nepali household receive basic or professional yoga-teacher training.

Addressing a community program organized by the Greater Reading Nepalese Community Association (GRNCA) in Reading, Sharma said Nepal could turn its long association with yoga, meditation, Ayurveda and Himalayan spiritual traditions into a major source of national identity, public wellness and international cultural outreach.

GRNCA has recently hosted yoga and meditation activities involving Sharma in Reading, while reports on his latest UK tour say programs have also been conducted in London and Coventry.

Sharma argued that the campaign should go beyond occasional yoga events and become a broader community movement.

“Every home should have at least one person capable of teaching and practicing yoga properly,” he said, according to organizers, calling for cooperation among educational institutions, community organizations, government bodies and Nepalis living abroad.

Free yoga-teacher training proposed

During the Reading program, Sharma said he had developed a curriculum through which Nepalis could receive yoga-teacher training without tuition fees and obtain certification designed for international use.

GSPSS, the organization he founded, describes Sharma as the designer of its 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training program. Its website also describes him as a yoga course developer associated with an Australian higher-education setting and as a curriculum contributor to Kathmandu University. Those institutional connections are stated by GSPSS; publicly available university material reviewed for this report did not independently establish the specific certification arrangement described at the Reading event.

Sharma is listed by the Yoga Alliance International Registry as a verified “Master Yoga Teacher.” The registry says he has studied yoga in Nepal, India and Australia and identifies him as founder and course designer of the Global Society for Peace and Spiritual Science (GSPSS).

SBS Nepali has also previously interviewed Sharma in his capacity as founder of the Sydney-based GSPSS about yoga practice, physical and mental well-being and Nepal’s National Yoga Day.

Yoga, meditation and Ayurveda promoted as daily practices

Sharma urged Nepalis living in Britain to incorporate yoga, breathing exercises, meditation and healthy lifestyle practices into their daily routines rather than viewing them only as ceremonial or occasional activities.

He said Nepal’s traditions of yoga, meditation and Ayurveda should be studied, preserved and shared internationally while also being adapted responsibly to modern lifestyles.

During the session, participants were guided through basic physical exercises, yoga postures, pranayama, meditation techniques and traditional hand gestures, or mudras. Sharma also discussed the Ayurvedic concepts of vata, pitta and kapha, saying people should pay attention to individual constitution when considering diet and lifestyle.

Modern medical research provides support for some benefits associated with yoga, although health authorities caution against treating it as a universal cure. The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says research suggests yoga may help with stress management, sleep, balance and aspects of mental and emotional well-being, while evidence varies considerably depending on the medical condition being studied.

The World Health Organization has similarly highlighted yoga’s potential contribution to physical activity, mobility, mental well-being and healthy ageing. WHO’s 2026 International Day of Yoga activities focused on the theme “Yoga for Healthy Ageing.”

Campaign seeks stronger global identity for Nepal

Sharma has advocated for years that Nepal should promote itself internationally as an important destination for yoga, meditation and spiritual study. His Yoga Alliance International Registry profile includes an article in which he argues for recognition of Nepal as a “Yoga Nation” and spiritual hub.

Nepal already promotes its spiritual and wellness heritage internationally. The Nepal Tourism Board has described the country as having deep links with Sanatan traditions including yoga, meditation, Ayurveda and spiritual healing.

The broader global profile of yoga has expanded substantially since the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga in 2014. The observance is now marked internationally as an occasion to highlight yoga’s physical, mental and spiritual dimensions.

Sharma said Nepal should use that growing global interest to train yoga instructors, develop spiritual tourism and preserve indigenous and Himalayan knowledge traditions rather than allowing the country’s cultural heritage to remain under-promoted.

Running, healthy food and community recognition in Reading

The yoga program was linked with wider community health activities in Reading. Following a weekly five-kilometre run by Reading Nepali Runners, participants were provided with a nutritious breakfast featuring sprouted pulses and fresh fruit through an initiative involving Dr. Bharat Poudel, Ramesh Kunwar, Dr. Pragya Poudel Gautam and their families, according to organizers.

Local runners, including marathon participants Ashok Chapagain and Indira Chapagain, were also recognized for their contribution to promoting fitness and community participation.

Sharma’s visit formed part of a wider series of spiritual and wellness programs in Britain. Reporting on the tour says GSPSS activities were held in Reading, Coventry and London, focusing on yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, stress management and related spiritual practices.

During his Coventry visit, Sharma also participated in programs associated with the Sapkota Welfare community, where he spoke about preserving Vedic traditions and transmitting cultural knowledge to younger generations.

After completing approximately a week of activities in the United Kingdom, Sharma returned to Australia, according to organizers.

Reading community thanks Sharma

Bhimsen Khadka, president of the Greater Reading Nepalese Community Association, thanked Sharma for returning to Reading and contributing voluntarily to community wellness activities.

Dr. Krishna Adhikari praised Sharma’s community service, while association vice-president Saroj Thapa delivered the vote of thanks and formally concluded the program.

Sharma has conducted similar programs in Reading in previous years. Reporting from 2019 documented yoga, meditation and teacher-training activities involving him and members of the Nepali community in the area.

For Sharma, however, the larger objective remains Nepal.

His proposal is that yoga should not simply be promoted as exercise or an annual celebration, but developed into a nationwide culture of health education, spiritual study and international outreach — ultimately helping Nepal build what he describes as its identity as a “Yoga Nation.”