THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 49th Senior National Yoga Sports Championship featuring as many as 1,000 athletes kicked off in the state capital on Thursday.
The four-day long event organised jointly by the Yoga Federation of India, Yoga Association of Kerala and Kerala State Sports Council is being held at International Aquatic Complex in Pirappancode, Thiruvananthapuram.
Inaugurating the championship, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan emphasised on the significant intervention of the government in the field of yoga, and said the tournament will prove an asset for the entire sports sector and yoga sports. He said the government is promoting yoga with a holistic approach and steps have been taken to utilise yoga for improving the performance of athletes. The CM said the aim is to declare Kerala as the first state to achieve complete sports literacy in 10 years. Yoga is also being utilised to overcome challenges emerging in the health sector, he said.
“To combat lifestyle diseases and spread the importance of yoga among all, the government has started 1,000 Ayush Yoga Clubs and over 100 Women’s Yoga Clubs at the ward level in connection with Yoga Day in June 2023,” the CM said, adding, “As part of the Ayush Gram scheme implemented by the Ayush Mission, yoga training is being provided to all sections in society, including schoolchildren, to reduce lifestyle diseases and improve physical and mental health.”
As part of efforts to protect the health of the elderly, yoga clubs have been formed at the local government level, he said.
Sports Minister V Abdurahiman, the chief guest, said Kerala’s selection as the venue for the National Yoga Sports Championship is a matter of great pride for the state’s sports sector. Vamanapuram MLA D K Murali, Asian Yoga Federation president Ashok Kumar Agarwal, Yoga Federation of India president Indu Agarwal and spiritual leader and yoga master Sri M attended the inaugural event.