LAKSHMI IYER
India Post News Service
SANTA CLARA, California: Wellness Post Conclave and Expo, 2019, the one-of-a-kind event bringing together experts and practitioners in different streams of wellness such as ayurveda, yoga, naturopathy, integrative/functional medicine, chiropractic, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), mainstream allopathic medicine, homeopathy, siddha and even wellness technology, was held June 7- 9 at the Santa Clara Convention Center here.
The Expo had vendors specializing in natural products and medicines from both the US and India. The Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy) of the government of India endorsed and supported this event.
With around 20 booths and over 35 speakers, the event was filled with highly educational as well as fun sessions, and was well attended.
Dr Romesh Japra, who is also the Publisher of India Post, is the Founder and Convener of Wellness Post Conclave and Expo 2019. Dr Jayarajan Kodikannath, Academy Director of Kerala Ayurveda USA, and Dr Shanmugamurthy (Shan) Lakshmanan, Chancellor of the Siddha-Vetha Center for Transdisciplinary Studies, were the Co-Conveners.
The program officially opened =June 7 with an inauguration ceremony complete with the lighting of the lamp by dignitaries. =Manorama Joshi, a long-time Festival of Globe (FOG) key member and Fremont Hindu Temple trustee, presided over the lamp-lighting with Dr Japra. Indian Consul General to San Francisco =Sanjay Panda, US Congressman Ro Khanna who represents California in the US House of Representatives, California State Assemblyman Kansen Chu, Fremont city Vice Mayor Raj Salwan and the Council member from Santa Clara, Kathy Watanabe, were present at the gathering.
FOG itself has many members who are local elected representatives such as Alka Bhatnagar and Mahesh Pakala.
One of the esteemed guests and speakers at the Conclave was Padma Bhushan recipient and Vedas and Vedic astrology (Jyotisha) scholar, Ayurveda and Yoga expert, and the author of several books , Dr David Frawley, also known as Pandit Vamadeva Shastri.
Ro Khanna paid an ode to his fellow elected representatives as he started his address.
“Wellness is important to this country for a number of reasons,” Khanna said. ‘
“The two leading causes of healthcare costs are heart disease and diabetes. Fifty per cent of Americans suffer from these. About 38 per cent of Americans have obesity. So, solving these issues is not only important for our quality of life but it is also important to get our healthcare costs down and deal with some of the biggest healthcare challenges this country faces.
“Some 19 per cent of our GDP is going into healthcare. Compare that with our rival, China, which is spending only 5 per cent of their GDP on healthcare. Apparently, they don’t value as much every human life but that is a challenge.
“Instead of starting trade wars, we should be thinking about how to reduce the health incidence in our country and how to improve the quality of life.”
Khanna added that wellness was an issue among young people and elaborated on the stress that students in high school face, with their focus on test scores and getting into top universities.
Reminiscing about his own adolescence, he said that things were a lot more light-hearted then.
He concluded by emphasizing the importance of wellness to the nation as a whole.
“Ayurveda is a very significant global contribution to the global community. My compliments to the organizers for putting together this event in the month of June when the world celebrates the International Day of Yoga,” Consul General Panda said.
“Our modern life is rather full of stress and anxiety and a heightened sense of unease. Modern healthcare has evolved rapidly to develop drugs and
procedures to mitigate the effects of our rather unhealthy lifestyle, and also the effect it takes on our mental and physical wellbeing. Man-made chemicals are still no answer to our problems.”
He joked about a debate he had with a staunch Californian about whether yoga or wine was more beneficial to the heart. He said that they had concluded that yoga in the morning and wine in the evening were both beneficial.
The other keynote speakers of the opening day were DrSuhas Kshirsagar , Founder of Ayurvedic Healing clinic in Santa Cruz, California and Program Chair, College of Ayurveda at the Mount Madonna Institute in Watsonville, California, Dr Ajay Tejasvi Narasimhan, President of Shankara Naturals and Dr Feng Tian from Beijing, Distinguished Professor and Doctor of traditional Chinese medicine with a specialization in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Dr. Feng Tian spoke in Mandarin, and his speech was translated by Dr Lihua Zhang , anesthesiologist, acupuncturist and nutritionist from Louisiana.
The next day, the opening session of the Conclave was the panel on metabolic disorders (obesity, diabetes, cholesterol and hormonal imbalances) led by Dr Vivek Shanbhag. This was followed by a much-anticipated keynote address by Dr David Frawley that opened the panel on cardiovascular disorders.
Dr Suhas Kshirsagar led this panel in which Dr Japra also spoke.
The celebrity guest of the event was Bollywood actress and theater artiste, Neetu Chandra, who is now making her foray into Hollywood/international films. Neetu is a black belt champion in taekwondo, having represented India internationally. She is also an ambassador for the NBA (National Basketball Association).
Neetu Chandra was the Wellness Post Ambassador.
She gave credit to her mother for supporting her since childhood when pursuing martial arts was not really encouraged. Neetu Chandra grew up in Patna, Bihar, in a large, joint family with nine male siblings.
She emphasized the importance of fitness and taking care of oneself because it is only then that one can give to others.
She answered a few questions and also demonstrated some martial arts kicking techniques. Celebrity ambassador, Bharat Goradia, who was responsible for bringing her to FOG Wellness Post, goaded her on to recite a monologue from the play, Umrao Jaan, which was related to a woman’s wish for true independence.
The other surprise celebrity guest was Indian activist Somen Debnath, who has traveled across the globe on his bicycle, raising awareness on HIV/AIDS. This was arranged through SEVA International, a charitable organization.
When he was 14, Somen heard of someone in his home state of West Bengal, India, who had died of AIDS. This was a disease that was considered deadlier than cancer. The incident sparked a desire within him to do something for the cause.
With a video, Somen narrated the story of his trip across the globe, rattling off names of countries across continents. Not all was smooth sailing. While he was warmly welcomed by many countries
and dignitaries such as the Prime Minister of Greenland who offered him accommodation for as long as he wished, in some other countries, he faced grave peril to his life. He was beaten and robbed. Once, the Taliban captured him and held him captive for several days. Somen managed to win over their hearts by cleaning and cooking for them and showing respect for their religion and was finally let go.
Judhajit Senmazumdar, FOG volunteer who helped coordinate his visit to the Conclave, requested people for contributions for his journey and people generously opened their wallets for the cause. Somen won over hearts at the Conclave and Expo, too.
The afternoon had interesting panels on autoimmune disorders and spine and joint health.
A Siddha workshop by Co-Convener, Dr Shan Lakshmanan, closed the day’s program.
Dr Japra hosted a networking dinner get-together at his place, Japra Vineyards, later that evening. Key contributors, senior speakers and Neetu Chandra were all honored.
On June 9, Councilwoman from Santa Clara, Kathy Watanabe, honored Neetu Chandra with a certificate of recognition.
June 9 had comprehensive panels on mental health, cancer, gut health and the microbiome and investments and cutting-edge research in natural health and wellness.
More detailed information on the panels will follow in the next edition.
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