DEHRADUN, INDIA, January 27, 2016 (Times of India): In a first-of-its-kind exercise, 250 soldiers of the Western Command of the Army have been sent for a two-week Yoga Teacher’s Training Course being organized by Ramdev’s Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar. Army officials said the soldiers after their yoga stint will help impart this training to others in the Command. During the training, which began on January 10 and concluded on Tuesday, the jawans were given a comprehensive knowledge of yoga and meditation by specialists of Patanjali Yogpeeth under Ramdev’s guidance.
Yoga has been introduced in Army as an important means to address stress and lifestyle-related diseases. The overall aim is to train 1,000 army persons as “yoga instructors”. The soldiers will thereafter become the “fulcrum” for spreading the knowledge at various Army units. Krishna Milan, coordinator at Patanjali Yogpeeth, told TOI, “Baba Ramdev himself took classes for the soldiers and taught them the 12 yoga asanas as well as special asanas for a number of ailments. He also guided them about the correct diet and fitness regime to follow. Thereafter, Acharya Balkrishnan took sessions on meditation and spirituality.”