YOGA and sports should be given importance in school and college curriculum, says Dr Arun Khodaskar. For the last one and a half years, education and sports have taken a back seat sue to the coronavirus pandemic. There has been no proper sports tournaments during this period. To fight with corona virus, improving one’s immunity is the most important factor. This immunity can be boosted by playing sports and performing yoga regularly, said Dr Khodaskar. For these reasons, schools and colleges must give importune to sports and yoga and government must permit the students to play and perform yoga following social distancing and other norms as it may deem fit.

 

Association of Maharashtra State Secondary and Higher Secondary Teachers, Physical Education Teachers and Dr Khodaskar, ex-Principal of Degree College of Physical Education run by world famous Shri Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal and General Secretary of Bruhan Maharashtra Yoga Parishad, a state-level government recognised yoga association, have requested Governor, Chief Minister and Education Minister of Maharashtra to consider their demands of allowing regular sporting and yoga activities. Dr Khodaskar also highlighted importance of sports in our daily routine and stated why we are lagging behind at international level. In a huge country with population of over 130 crore, India has sent a contingent of about 120 players in the Olympics in progress in Tokyo, Japan — not even one player per crore of the population. Since we do not give importance to sports and yoga at school and college level, we are having dearth of sporting talent. Dr Khodaskar urged the govt authorities to look into the matter and ensure that there is a proper period of sports and yoga at school and college levels like other subjects.