Patna: CM Samrat Choudhary on Sunday announced that yoga would be introduced in the curricula of schools and colleges across Bihar from next year as part of efforts to promote healthy living and take the practice to every household.The announcement was made at the state-level International Day of Yoga programme at Patliputra Sports Complex in Kankarbagh, Patna, where large-scale yoga sessions were organised. Several ministers, including health minister Nishant Kumar, participated in the event.Addressing the gathering, Choudhary described yoga as India’s invaluable gift to the world and an integral part of the country’s cultural heritage. He said physical training was already a component of the education system and yoga would now be incorporated into the curriculum to encourage a healthier lifestyle among students.“Yoga is India’s ancient and invaluable heritage and the basis of a healthy body, peaceful mind and balanced life,” Choudhary said.He said the initiative would help people lead healthier and happier lives while contributing to the vision of a healthy and prosperous India. Referring to Munger, Choudhary said it had emerged as a major centre for yoga, attracting people from across the world who later helped popularise the practice internationally.The CM credited PM Narendra Modi with taking yoga to the global stage. He said International Yoga Day was now celebrated enthusiastically in many countries and had helped enhance the prestige of India’s cultural traditions worldwide.Choudhary said the Bihar govt was committed to promoting sports, health and youth welfare and urged people to make yoga a part of their daily routine.Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the programme, Nishant said he had proposed the inclusion of yoga in the school curriculum to Choudhary.He clarified that participation in yoga sessions would remain voluntary for students. “Students will be free to attend or skip yoga sessions. There will be no attendance rule,” he said.The programme was also addressed by Union minister Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh and health secretary Kumar Ravi.Among those present were deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Union minister Ramnath Thakur, MLCs Mangal Pandey and Anil Sharma, MLA Sanjay Kumar Gupta, Patna mayor Sita Sahu, chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit, DGP Vinay Kumar, the chief minister’s secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh and other senior officials.
