Gulf News: International Yoga Day 2022 with celebrity guests Akansha and Anushka Ranjan

Dubai: Given today’s fast-paced and stressful lifestyle, the focus on mental and physical well-being is of paramount importance. As lifestyle-linked diseases including diabetes, hypertension and obesity increase among youngsters and the elderly alike, staying healthy, and happy, needs to become a priority.

For this, the ancient practice of yoga is fast becoming the go-to choice for working executives, enabling them to stay healthy in mind, body and spirit. Yoga integrates an individual's physical, mental and spiritual components to improve aspects of health, particularly stress-related illnesses. In addition to that, the practice is something that can be adapted and made suitable for people of all ages and levels.

Gulf News will host an exclusive event at Fairmont The Palm, on June 19 (Sunday) from 5 to 6.30pm in time for International Yoga Day 2022 to celebrate yoga and its benefits. Gulf News, as the largest media house in the region, has always emphasised and focused on the importance of well-being and a holistic approach to life. What better way to do that than through the ancient science of yoga.

Celebrity guests: Akansha and Anushka Ranjan

Bollywood celebrity sisters Akansha and Anushka Ranjan Kapoor, along with a trainer, will lead the invited guests through the yoga session. The Ranjan sisters are models and actors, and are members of a family rooted in the entertainment and film industry. Well-known for their interest in health and fitness, most importantly yoga, Akansha and Anushka have always touted the benefits of practicing yoga daily.

Anushka Ranjan (31) spoke to Gulf News ahead of the event and said, “I enjoy yoga as it’s something that helps you relax while helping your body tone up and get in better shape. It helps in flexibility, which is something that people lack in today’s time as we’re all stuck in seats for hours and our body needs to feel open. Its calming and meditative.”

Akansha Ranjan (28) added, “Yoga is my way of life. I wake up every morning to a session of yoga. It gives me calm, keeps me centred, balanced, I’ve become so much more flexible, and it is so liberating to be able to get the postures right. Yoga is my happy place.”

Given the various forms and levels, yoga is best practiced, especially in the beginning, with the help of someone who can lead you through the poses in a safe and beneficial manner. At the event, Neha Duseja, a certified yoga trainer based in Dubai, will lead the guests through the session.

Duseja is an ERYT 600 Certified yoga teacher whose journey began around 10 years ago as a means of recovery, building strength and resilience, and adding balance to her life. She found her wings in a vinyasa class that allowed her to find a passion for creative flows, arm balances and inversions. Going beyond the physical, Duseja said she realised that yoga is mental stretch, and now she helps other people looking to get into the practice.

Venue partner – Fairmont The Palm

When getting into a meditative state, your surroundings matter just as much as the other elements. This is one of the reasons why we chose Fairmont The Palm as our venue partner for the event. The contemporary Arabian-inspired resort in the heart of Dubai offers visitors panoramic views of the Arabian Gulf by day, and the twinkling cityscape of Dubai Marina by night. With twelve restaurants offering a world of international cuisines, the property also gives guests the chance to embark on a soulful and delicious culinary journey. Fairmont The Palm focuses on fun, health and wellness for guests with their health club, water sports, pool and beach activities, and of course, their premium spa services at the Willow Spa.

The Palm Jumeirah property has 391 guest rooms and suites, which includes their premium Fairmont Gold and Residence accommodations as well. In terms of events, the property can host all kinds of events from weddings and social events to business conferences. All the property’s flexible event spaces – spread over 3,000 square meters and six of which feature natural daylight – come complete with comprehensive audio-visual technology and a range of banqueting options.

F&B partner: Yalla Veggie

Yalla Veggie is a purely ‘meat-free’, one-stop app catering to everyone’s 'veggie' food requirements. The plant-based startup was created from a sustainability perspective, and is staffed by vegans and vegetarians. Yalla Veggie offers a selection of sustainable and green restaurants, supermarkets, organic stores, bakeries, florists, and ethical startups, all under a one-stop app.

Apart from having a comprehensive selection of meat-free products, Yalla Veggie is touted as Dubai’s only platform that focuses on the community of people who follow a plant-based lifestyle. With this community-based approach, Yalla Veggie aims to bring together members from around the world who are passionate about the meat-free lifestyle as a healthy, compassionate, and environmentally sustainable way of living.

Travel Partner: Smart Travel LLC

The company, which has seen phenomenal growth with its annual turnover hitting Dh350 million, has now set sights on an estimated turnover of Dh700 million by 2025.

Attending the event

The exclusive invite-only event is open to Gulf News subscribers. If you wish to attend, reach out to the Gulf News call centre to book a spot. As guest numbers are restricted, the spots will be given on a first-come-first-served basis.