` Yoga education amongst youth can e effective in countering substance abuse: Najma Heptulla

DIPR
Imphal, Oct 11: The 24th State Level Yoga Physique Championship, 2019 organised by the Yoga Physique Institute & Studies Manipur (YPISM) was opened today at Manipur Dramatic Union hall Yaiskul Police lane, Imphal. The theme of the championship is Yoga for health, wellbeing and sustainable development.
Governor Dr Najma Heptulla, president YPISM Th Samungou and general secretary Manipur Thinker Forum M Asnikumar Singh graced the opening event as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Najma Heptulla stated that Yoga education amongst the youth can be an effective tool to counter the menace of substance abuse and drug addiction prevalent widely in the State.
The 24th state Level Yoga Physique Championship, 2019 will certainly help the young sportspersons to grow and maintain their physical, mental, social and spiritual well-being. Though Manipur is famous for its dances and sports, Yoga also needs to be taken up for a closer study to understand and unravel the underlying historical and cultural meaning of such practices, she said.
Expressing her happiness on NCERT’s publication of Yoga text books for Classes-I to VIII and introduction of it in the CBSE schools as a compulsory subject, she said that value-based education through yoga in schools and colleges will help in inculcating discipline, concentration, relaxation and self-achievement, from an early stage of life and thereby empower them to cope up with the stress and strains accompanied with the challenges of modern life. It will also help them in growing up with the values of cleanliness, non-violence, truthfulness, non-greediness, austerity, self-study, self-control and non-possessiveness, she added.
As part of today’s inaugural programme, the YPISM students and intellectual disability Group BB Paul Mental Development Home, Mongshangei presented yoga demonstration and certificates of honour were also distributed to donors and juries.
It may be mentioned that more than 250 candidates are participating in this championship which will end tomorrow.