Overview

• On June 23, the Wildlife Institute of India circulated an internal email warning staff of possible June salary withholding for unexcused absence from the International Yoga Day event.
• The email noted that roughly 75 out of over 600 employees participated despite repeated notices issued by the institute and the Environment Ministry.
• Employees who missed the session without prior approval were required to submit written explanations to their reporting officers or the deputy registrar.
• The same day, Director Virendra Tiwari retracted the directive, calling the memo a routine administrative communication and confirming that no salary penalties would be enforced.
• The episode underscores tensions over staff compliance with voluntary government wellness initiatives at the Dehradun-based research institute.