India to give three million bureaucrats free yoga classes

NEW DELHI: India’s government said on Friday it would provide free daily yoga classes for its 3 million employees and their families as it seeks to promote the ancient practice.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an avid yoga fan who credits his strict regime of exercise and meditation for his ability to work long hours on just four or five hours’ sleep.
A public circular issued on Friday said the government was “organising regular yoga training sessions from April 1, 2015 for the benefit of central government employees and their dependents”.
India’s national government, which employs around 3 million people, gave no reason for the move.
But Modi has worked hard to promote traditional Indian practices such as yoga and ayurveda since coming to power, setting up a ministry dedicated to their promotion.
Earlier this year the United Nations adopted his proposal that June 21 be named International Day of Yoga.
It could also be an effort to promote Modi’s values of clean living and hard work. The teetotal vegetarian expressed shock after taking office last year at the habits of some Indian civil servants, who were notorious for arriving late and taking long lunches.
Shripad Yesso Naik, minister of state for yoga and traditional medicines (ayurveda, naturopathy, unani and homoeopathy), has already announced plans to introduce daily practice sessions of the 2,000-year-old discipline for all police officers, paramilitary personnel and defence staff over the next three to five years.
“Training is going on in full swing at the national centre for yoga. If police departments, for instance, ask for 10,000 trainers, they will be provided,” he told reporters.
More controversially, senior politicians in India have suggested more widespread practice of yoga could bring down levels of sexual violence in the country.
“I believe if yoga comes into the life of common people, then the daily incidents of rape, I would not say they will cease to exist, but there will definitely be a decrease in them,” Murli Manohar Joshi, a senior figure in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, said recently.
Singh said yoga had long been used by India’s most powerful figures both personally, and to boost the productivity of officialdom.
“Yoga is part and parcel of India’s heritage. Many bigshots like Mahatma Gandhi have been doing it,” he said.