Yoga ‘could be part of PE’
AN INDIAN diplomat has called on the Welsh Government to introduce yoga as part of the national curriculum.
Cardiff businessman and Honorary Consul of India for Wales Raj Aggarwal has issued a message stressing the importance of yoga for children and young people.
On Thursday hundreds of people flocked to Cardiff to celebrate the fifth annual International Yoga Day.
The event, based in Tŷ Krishna Cymru in Cardiff Bay, saw more than 200 people take part in seven classes for all abilities as well as talks about nutrition and health.
Figures including current Miss Wales Bethany Harries also joined the fun to stress the benefits of yoga for physical and mental health.
Following the event, Mr Aggarwal has now appealed for education authorities and the Welsh Government to include the practice as part of daily life in school.
He said: “This year we wanted to give a clear message to make yoga more universal so our children can embrace it as well.
“We have a lot of volunteer teachers who want to do it.
“A lot of schools already practise it anyway and the skill sets are already there in PE and sociology departments.”
After travelling to Britain from Kenya in 1967 before becoming regional manager at Boots, Mr Aggarwal is now managing director of the Aggarwal Group, a business covering pharmacy, beauty and internet sales.
According to the diplomat, yoga has become increasingly important to help teenagers with wellbeing and mindfulness.
He said: “It’s not onerous, it’s about flexibility and wellbeing. It can be part of PE or morning assembly, whatever works best.
“The introduction of yoga in schools has minimal cost implications but the benefits are incredible in both the long and short term.
“Many teachers who have implemented yoga classes in their schools have described how their pupils return to class after their yoga lesson in a better frame of mind for learning and even do better in their exams.”
The suggestion follows the day after a Leicester primary school received a glowing Ofsted report for the first time in its history due to its approach to yoga and meditation.
In 2016, a previous Ofsted report described Eyres Monsell Primary School as “requiring improvement”.
But it has since been rated as good in all areas after it introduced activities for all pupils including yoga, meditation and mindfulness classes.