The Hindu : New Delhi News : Move to take yoga to the masses

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Thursday, Jun 19, 2008
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New Delhi

Move to take yoga to the masses

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev has agreed to impart yoga training to 5.4 lakh Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) recruited under the government’s flagship National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

This was decided at a meeting between Baba Ramdev and Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss on Tuesday. While the procedural details will be worked out later, Baba Ramdev has agreed to send experts to all villages to train ASHAs in yoga who, in turn, will conduct yoga classes for the people.

Explaining the benefits of yoga as an alternative system of medicine and the need to popularise the concept, Baba Ramdev informed him about his upcoming 10,000-capacity yoga centre at Haridwar that will provide free food and schooling to poor children. Baba Ramdev invited the Minister to inaugurate the 250-acre centre next year.

On his part, Dr. Ramadoss told Baba Ramdev that he agreed with the concept of yoga and had, in fact, written to the Human Resource Development Minister on introducing yoga in schools. Once the concept is carried forward, it would prove to be an asset for the well-being of the younger generation, Dr. Ramadoss said.

They expressed concern over the adverse impact of tobacco and alcohol on the people and decided to “walk together” to deal with the situation which was “worse than an epidemic.”

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