JOIN USDelhi govt to begin yoga classes for school students: Arvind Kejriwal
The Delhi government will soon roll out yoga classes in its schools so that children can learn and practice it from an early age, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday.
He also said that his government will continue to teach yoga to people for free and that it was on a mission to increase the number of beneficiaries manifold.
On the occasion of the International Yoga Day, the chief minister performed yoga asanas with hundreds of people at the Thyagraj Stadium here. He was joined by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, and members of 'Dilli Ki Yogshala', the initiative under which the city government teaches yoga to citizens for free.
"Everyone in Delhi should be in good health. Our goal is that everyone in every home should perform yoga first thing in the morning. The most important point is that yoga should be taught to children from an early age. I'll also ask the Delhi education minister to launch yoga classes in schools soon," he said.
Stressing that medical treatment for Delhiites had been made completely free in government hospitals, Kejriwal said, "Our aim is to now ensure that every Delhiite takes up yoga and never falls sick. If yoga becomes a part of one's life, it frees them of all diseases and tension."
Walking down memory lane, Kejriwal said he had learnt several yoga asanas by enrolling himself at a yoga ashram during his school summer vacation days.
The chief minister said when the third wave of Covid-19 hit the national capital, the city government began an experiment to evaluate if yoga could be beneficial to patients.
"I am pleased that the Delhi government's yoga teachers and the professors of DPSRU (Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University) performed such an excellent job. When people were infected, they were asked to practice yoga and were taught how to perform the asanas. These folks used to teach over 4,700 corona patients online. When the patients were surveyed, it was discovered that they all benefited. Our team did a lot of research on this as well. Although yoga does not cure corona, it does greatly reduce the intensity when practised regularly," he noted.
Under 'Dilli Ki Yogshala', the Delhi government provides a free yoga trainer to groups of 25 people to learn the ancient Indian practice in community spaces and parks.
So far, 17,000 citizens have opted for the scheme at 546 parks and public spaces across the national capital, according to the government.
"Some questioned why the Delhi government is teaching yoga for free. Yoga classes should be provided for free. I learned yoga for free and I will continue to teach yoga for free to the general public. All of life's precious and meaningful things should be available for free. We will teach you yoga for free and those who criticise us may continue to do so," he said.