Centre for Indic Studies

01/10/2026

The USSR banned yoga… then secretly used it to win the space race.
In public, Soviet newspapers warned that yoga caused mental illness, spinal damage and epilepsy. It was branded a “Trojan horse of Indian idealism.”
But behind closed doors, Soviet scientists were studying pranayama, and they found that slowing the breath could drop the body’s metabolism into a state called anabiosis. For cosmonauts, that was a game-changer.

28/09/2026

The Soviet Union called yoga “regressive” and “unscientific.” Yet, behind the scenes, Soviet scientists were reportedly studying pranayama and yogic practices for human performance—including space training.

Aravindan Neelakandan explains the striking contradiction between Soviet ideology and its practical interest in yoga.

What was publicly dismissed as superstition—was it quietly being studied for survival and performance?

Listen to what Aravindan Neelakandan has to say.

YogaHistory Cosmonauts History

26/09/2026

25/09/2026

Mahesh Gotate explains how scholars study the changing morphology of the Ganga and its possible role in shaping Varanasi’s many water bodies. Some scholars suggest these water bodies were once interconnected, creating a natural system for managing rising water.

21/09/2026

Mahesh Gotate explains how the Ganga, Matsyodari and Varuna were once connected through a natural water system, allowing excess water to flow naturally. Flooding was understood as a seasonal feature rather than an unwelcome event.

16/09/2026

Mahesh Gotate explains how we lost our traditional sensitivity toward water and how indigenous mapmakers and the Puranas viewed land and water as a continuum rather than separate entities.

14/09/2026

Those who lived in or visited Varanasi understood that land and water cannot be separated. The sacred, flowing waters are an essential part of what makes Varanasi holy. A line drawn on paper cannot separate land from water.

11/09/2026

10/09/2026

Mahesh Gotate shares his experience of visiting the Indian Heritage Centre in Singapore and reflects on Varanasi’s cultural and civilizational significance in the context of Indian heritage.

09/09/2026

By Janhavi Naik