Yoga compulsory for TN school students

Chennai, Mar 31 (UNI) Tamil Nadu School Education Minister Thangam Thennarasu today told the State Assembly that yoga training in Government, Government-aided and private schools would be made mandatory from the coming academic year.

Replying to Mr Vidiyal Sekar (Congress) during Question Hour, he said the Government had realised the importance of yoga and cited the instance of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, who was practicing yoga to keep him active at the age of 84.

''Necessary yoga teachers will be appointed for this purpose,'' he said, adding that during the last two years, 1.10 lakh teachers have been provided yoga training at a cost of Rs 1.61 crore and about 80,000 teachers would be trained this year.

When Mr G K Mani (PMK) sought yoga training for MLAs also, Electricity Minister Arcot N Veerasamy intervened and said, ''if members wanted to practice yoga, they should get up at 0530 hrs in the morning. I don't know how many are getting up at that time. If at least ten MLAs are ready for training, I am prepared to organise it at a yoga centre in the city.'' UNI GV GD JT KN1647