Siddharth Chatterjee, the UN Resident Coordinator for China, has gained attention on Chinese social media for showcasing his rigorous yoga and fitness routines, which he claims contribute to both physical and mental well-being. In a recent documentary titled "Breathing for Good Health," Chatterjee demonstrates deep breathing exercises, starting with the recitation of the Sanskrit symbol "Om" while sitting shirtless on a frozen lake bed in Beijing.
In the documentary, Chatterjee emphasizes the importance of breathing, stating that it is the first and last thing we do in life. He describes his personal journey to better health, revealing that when he assumed his role as the lead UN diplomat in China in 2020, he faced health challenges such as obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension, and pre-diabetes. Through practices like high-intensity breathing, fasting, and exposure to cold temperatures, he managed to lose 25 kilograms and achieve normal blood pressure, ultimately attaining physical and mental equilibrium.
Chatterjee's appointment as the head of 26 UN offices in China made headlines amid ongoing tensions between India and China over the eastern Ladakh standoff. Despite facing challenges such as childhood polio, Chatterjee pursued a successful career, serving as a decorated Indian military officer before transitioning to diplomatic roles within the UN. His family also has ties to both India and China, with his wife serving as the chief of UNICEF social policy in India.
Throughout his 25-year UN diplomatic career, Chatterjee has served in various countries and organizations, including Kenya, Switzerland, Denmark, Iraq, Somalia, and South Sudan, among others. In addition to his diplomatic duties, he is currently focused on promoting the benefits of deep breathing exercises to combat ill-health. Chatterjee has also released tutorial videos to help individuals learn and practice these exercises in different environments for stress relief and rejuvenation.
