HOUSTON: Noted yoga guru Baba Ramdev, who recently laid the foundation stone for a USD 20 million yoga and ayurveda research centre here, has been invited by US Congressmen to display his yogic exercises before them.

Congressman Nick Lampson, who attended Ramdev's five-day yoga camp held here, invited him to Washington DC.

Republican Lampson, whose congressional district includes Fortbend County where the yoga and research centre is being constructed, said the traditional Indian exercises can indeed benefit healthcare industry in USA.

The Houston centre, which will be based on the model of 'Pathanjali Yog Peeth' of Haridwar, founded by the yoga-exponent 15 years ago, has already raised over USD 5 million for the project, expected to be complete in 2009.

"When the Haridwar centre was established, Rs 20,000 was borrowed to start the project. But in Houston, one-fourth of the needed funds were raised on the very first day," Ramdev said.

"Majority of the people in India cannot afford healthcare and rising costs of treatments, medicine and doctor visits and for those people yog will be a best alternative for having good health without paying anything," said Ramdev, who wants to "revolutionize healthcare in India and around the world".

The presence of a large Indian community prompted the spiritual guru to chose Houston as the place for establishing the centre, which will be set up in a sprawling 94-acre land in Rosenberg, about 25 miles from here.

The project includes a clinic to treat chronic ailments, a training centre for yog teachers, housing for active seniors and retirees, a herbal garden, retreat centre, vedic gurukul school for young children and a university.