Divyang students to perform yoga with PM

LUCKNOW : Over 100 visually and hearing impaired divyang (physically challenged) students of Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University (DSMRU) will perform yoga alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lucknow on June 21—the third International Yoga Day.

A grand event is being planned on the occasion at Ramabai rally sthal where the Prime Minister along with 51,000 participants, including students, NCC, NSS cadets and scouts, will take part.

Another 8,000 students from the Lucknow University (LU) and 5,000 students of the City Montessori School will also perform yoga with Modi.

“The move is an endeavour to empower and make physically challenged students feel that they too are part of the mainstream society. The idea is to make the students aware of the benefits of yoga. It will be beneficial for their health as well as education and will help them become self-reliant and empowered,” said Nishith Rai, vice chancellor of DSMRU, on Friday.

He said daily camps will be organised on the university campus and yoga trainers will be roped in for special training of specially-abled students. Those who will take part in the yoga session will be given certificates.

“Students will also realise that the yoga has stress-busting merits too, something that they need quite a bit. It is an effective therapy that promotes general good health and also imparts mental, spiritual and physical well being,” Rai added.

AP Tiwari, academic advisor to the vice chancellor, said, “It will be heartening to see divyang students performing Kapal Bharti and other breathing exercises with the PM. They are determined to learn the maximum number of yogic asanas (postures).”

According to a study, about 14.3 million people in India practised yoga in 2013, up from 6.3 million in 2001.

As per the recent estimates from ASSOCHAM, growing health awareness has caused an annual increase of 30-40% in the numbers of yoga practitioners.