Sometimes a formal conversation can trigger a new interest in you. It was a colleague of Vinod VP who, while offering a suggestion to him during a chat, said, "When you are so into yoga, why not share your enthusiasm with others as well?" And this was the turning point in Vinod’s life. This yoga therapist from Palakkad today runs Soorya Bhavana Yoga Therapy Centre in Pirayiri, Palakkad.

It was Vinod’s mother who inspired him to pursue yoga. "In the year 2006, I was introduced to yoga through my mother. Later, I signed up for a one-month training course in Sivananda Ashram in Palakkad," he said. And because Vinod was really interested in yoga, he tried to understand it from scratch. “I completed my PG Diploma and MSc in Yoga from Annamalai University. I also completed a PG Diploma in Yoga Therapy. I tried to understand the subject first and only then attempted to share the knowledge with people,” said the 58-year-old.

A former Tamil Nadu Electricity Board employee, Vinod also conducts awareness programmes about yoga for the masses. “You can never learn yoga online, you strictly need an instructor. How will you know when to inhale and exhale through videos when yoga is all about concentration?” he quips. Yoga can cure various diseases, but the results are gradual. He agrees with this statement and points out that Rome wasn’t built in a day. “The current generation believes in faster remedies and runs behind instant solutions. Hence, yoga doesn’t attract them. They do not realise the side effects of instant remedies,” he says.

While practising yoga, the body, mind and soul are in sync. “No matter what the language, we call it yoga asana. Yoga can never be called an exercise as it involves a deeper level of concentration. It helps you maintain the same energy level throughout the day,” he explains. “Yoga helps you realise the positive energy in you and it is all about practice. Yoga also has a cure for almost all major diseases, but patience and belief is important,” he concludes.