Delhi govt to make yoga a public movement: Arvind Kejriwal

From October 2, residents of Delhi who wish to learn yoga in batches of around 20-25 will be provided with an instructor free of cost by the Delhi government, Kejriwal said

Ahead of International Day of Yoga on Monday, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday launched the Centre for Meditation and Yoga Sciences with an aim to take yoga to every house in Delhi and turn it into a ‘Jan Andolan’ (public movement).

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said his government will provide free yoga instructors to city residents.. (PTI Photo) (PTI)

From October 2, residents of Delhi who wish to learn yoga in batches of around 20-25 will be provided with an instructor free of cost by the Delhi government, Kejriwal said. These instructors will undergo three months training before being sent to teach the city residents, he added.

The centre has been institutionalised by the Delhi government in collaboration with the Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU). “Tomorrow (Monday) is the International Day of Yoga, and I believe that there could not have been a better way to celebrate this prestigious day,” Kejriwal said on Sunday, while launching the Centre.

“While India is teaching yoga to people from all across the globe, how many of our own Indians are practising yoga? We had been deliberating upon ways in which yoga can be brought within the reach of every resident of Delhi and make it a ‘jan andolan’. So we decided to allot a specific budget to this, under which a group of around 20 people wishing to learn yoga could be provided with an instructor for free by the Delhi government,” the CM added.

“From October 2, we will be able to initiate calls to the Delhiites that if they wish to teach yoga in their surroundings or societies, the Delhi government will provide them with the instructors free of cost. There might be a possibility that due to the number of instructors being less, we may not be able to provide the instructors to everyone. But it is going to be a great start,” Kejriwal said.

The Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences Research University (DPSRU) will offer a diploma course in meditation and yoga sciences at the centre, he said.

The one year (three-trimester) programme currently has 450 yoga instructors under training.

Kejriwal said in these difficult times, people are feeling the need for yoga more than ever. “In these difficult times, people are feeling the need for yoga more than ever. Yoga not only helps improve immunity in the body but also helps in post-Covid recovery.

“Those who have survived a strong case of Covid-19, need to rebuild their physical and mental health. Yoga and meditation can do that,” the chief minister said.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who was also present at the inauguration, congratulated the DPSRU team and faculties of the Centre for Mediation and Yoga Sciences for their work on the centre during the pandemic.

“We have started with the training of around 450 yoga and meditation instructors. We will have aggressive training for three months in the first phase. Then, these instructors will be able to go to different regions and teach people yoga and meditation and would be able to continue the one-year diploma as well,” he said.

DPSRU vice-chancellor Ramesh K Goyal said from seven courses in 2020, the institution now offers 17 courses from a variety of disciplines including physiotherapy, management, biotechnology, Ayurveda, public health and hospital management.

“..With the support and vision of the government, [the centre] will not only provide medicines to people but will also be able to bring peace, prosperity and healthy lifestyle to every house,” said Goyal.