Yoga: From performing art to a sports discipline

Tribune news service

New Delhi,September 1

Bringing cheers to millions of Yoga followers in the country, the Sports Ministry on Tuesday included the ancient Indian art of exercise and healing as a sports discipline in the ‘Priority’ category list.

The inclusion of Yoga in sports category will not only make it eligible for the government grant, it will also pave the way for its introduction as a competitive sport at the national level.

The Tribune was the first to report on June 9 that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had directed the Ministry to incorporate Yoga as a sports event as the entire world waited to celebrate World Yoga Day on June 21. The importance of the decision could be gauged from the fact that Yoga — which was till now a performing art — has become a competitive sport in India.

The Yoga Federation of India (YFI) will get recognition from the Ministry and thus become eligible to organise different age-group competitions in future at the inter-state, zonal and national level. The government’s move will also help in creating thousands of jobs across the country as every school, college and university will move towards making it mandatory in their curriculum.

Among the other important decisions, the Ministry decided to upgrade fencing from ‘Others’ to ‘General’ category, based on the past performances in the major international events. It also placed ‘University Sports’ in the ‘Priority’ category.

Meanwhile, on his first day in office, Sports Secretary Rajiv Yadav said some regions of the country should focus only on those sports which have a strong base in that particular area.