Ahmedabad, June 10 -- When the inaugural World Yogasana Championships concluded at the EKA Arena in Ahmedabad earlier this week, India, with a century of gold medals, reinforced its dominance in a sport rooted in its ancient traditions.

But beyond the medal table, another trend quietly emerged: the growing embrace of Yogasana across the Middle East, according to a release.

For a region where yoga has traditionally been associated more with wellness centres and fitness studios than competitive sport, the participation of countries such as Oman, Jordan, Iran and the United Arab Emirates at the first-ever World Yogasana Championships offered evidence that Yogasana is beginning to develop a sporting ecosystem of its own.

The numbers tell p...