Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 31 (ANI): Ahead of International Yoga Day, yoga practitioner and entrepreneur Asha Dipika met Himachal Pradesh minister Jagat Singh Negi and launched an initiative to promote yoga, meditation, and wellness in remote tribal regions, including Spiti and Kinnaur, aiming to enhance health, education, and employment access.

Speaking to ANI in Shimla, Asha Dipika said her mission extends beyond yoga and focuses on bringing global attention to the cultural, spiritual and natural heritage of the Himalayan region while supporting local communities through health, education and skill-development initiatives.

'I am honoured to have been selected as Mrs Unity World India. I will now represent India at the Mrs World competition in September. I am a technologist, humanitarian and entrepreneur. Two years ago, I launched a luxury brand with the objective of generating resources to support health and education initiatives for people who do not have access to such facilities,' she said.

She said she had never envisioned participating in pageants and had maintained a very low public profile before being encouraged to step into a larger public role.

'I was never active on camera and hardly posted on social media. However, after I started sharing content, millions of people connected with the message. My only objective is service. I want to work with governments across India to bring the best of India to the world and the best of the world to India,' she said.

Dipika recently earned national recognition after being crowned Mrs Unity World India at a prestigious beauty and leadership competition organised by Cosmos Queen Organisation in Karnataka, where participants from several states took part.

Dipika, who moved abroad nearly a decade ago for studies and later established a charitable organisation, said her Yoga Healing Foundation has grown into an international platform with students and volunteers across India, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, Canada, South America and other countries.

'Our organisation has spent the last ten years helping families facing health-related challenges. During the COVID-19 pandemic alone, more than 20,000 people participated in our online wellness programs. We teach traditional techniques drawn from Vedanta, Buddhist traditions and ancient Indian knowledge systems that help people achieve physical and mental wellbeing,' she said.

The foundation has been organising annual yoga and meditation retreats in Spiti Valley, particularly in Tabo, where participants from different parts of India and abroad experience traditional Himalayan culture and meditation practices.

'Every year, we conduct traditional yoga camps and meditation retreats in Spiti. This is our fifth visit to Tabo. Our students deeply appreciate the spiritual atmosphere, monasteries and cultural heritage of the region. The support extended by the Himachal Pradesh government has been invaluable in helping us establish facilities in these remote areas,' she said.

Dipika said her organisation has also conducted medical camps, charity activities and community outreach programs in monasteries across Spiti over the past several years.

'We have organised health camps and charity drives, supported monasteries with food supplies and essential items, and even hosted large community gatherings involving monks, students and residents. We regularly send groceries, nutritional supplements and other essential supplies to support remote communities,' she said.

Highlighting the untapped tourism and wellness potential of Himachal Pradesh, she said the state possesses extraordinary natural and spiritual resources that remain largely unknown to the outside world.

'Himachal Pradesh has some of the most breathtaking peaks and sacred landscapes in the world. There are numerous mountains and spiritual sites comparable in significance to globally known destinations, yet many Indians remain unaware of them. We want to showcase these places to the world while preserving local culture, forests and heritage,' she said.

Dipika said her organisation is working under the framework of Mission Shanti Van to identify suitable locations in Kinnaur, Spiti, Pin Valley, Chitkul and Shipki La for the development of wellness and meditation centres.

'Our vision is to establish wellness centres in remote Himalayan locations that can promote yoga, Ayurveda and meditation while simultaneously creating employment opportunities for local youth. Such initiatives can strengthen healthcare, education, tourism and livelihood opportunities in tribal regions,' she said.

She said the proposed centres could also serve members of the armed forces deployed in high-altitude border regions.

'We want to create world-class facilities in the Himalayas where Army personnel and others serving in difficult conditions can come for recovery, wellness and mental rejuvenation. The Himalayan environment is ideal for healing and meditation,' Dipika added.

Dipika further said her long-term vision includes helping improve healthcare infrastructure in remote tribal areas where residents often travel long distances to access medical facilities.

'Many pregnant women from remote regions have to travel to larger towns months before delivery because adequate facilities are unavailable locally. We hope that in the future such regions will have better healthcare access so families can receive services closer to home,' she added.

Yoga practitioner further added that the project would focus on preserving local traditions while creating sustainable economic opportunities for communities residing in remote border areas.

Responding to questions regarding the initiative, Himachal Pradesh Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh Negi welcomed the effort and described it as an important step toward promoting wellness tourism and traditional knowledge systems in the tribal belt.

'This foundation has been conducting a ten-day campaign in the region, and its members have remained actively engaged in social service activities. Their yoga programs and online classes have participants from many countries. Their vision is to establish wellness centres in remote tribal areas, particularly in Spiti and Kinnaur, while promoting traditional yoga, Buddhist teachings, local culture, handicrafts and skill development,' Negi told ANI.

The minister said the organisation has also been undertaking charitable activities in monasteries and conducting medical camps in tribal regions.

'They have organised health camps and charity initiatives in Spiti over the past two years. Such efforts help strengthen local communities while drawing attention to the unique cultural and spiritual heritage of the region,' he said.

Congratulating Dipika on being crowned Mrs Unity World India, Negi said the achievement would help bring greater visibility to Himachal Pradesh's wellness and cultural tourism potential.

'It is a matter of pride that Asha Dipika has been selected for this prestigious international platform. I congratulate her and extend my best wishes for the global competition scheduled later this year. We hope she continues to promote the rich heritage, culture and wellness traditions of the Himalayan region,' he said.

Negi said the state government remains supportive of initiatives that encourage yoga, wellness tourism, healthcare outreach and sustainable development in remote tribal and border areas of Himachal Pradesh. (ANI)