Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu called for mandatory yoga education in schools to promote health and well-being. Speaking at a yoga training programme organised for Assembly staff in Amaravati as part of the Yogandhra 2025 campaign on Thursday, June 5, he proposed integrating yoga into school curricula from Class 6 to Intermediate, and intends to discuss it with the legislators in the upcoming Assembly sessions.
On the occasion, Ayyanna emphasised yoga’s role as an ancient Indian practice for healthy living and warned that modern lifestyles are sidelining it.
Highlighting the Yogandhra 2025 campaign, the Speaker noted its aim to promote yoga across Andhra Pradesh’s villages, with strong public participation.
He announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the International Yoga Day event on June 21 in Visakhapatnam, where around five lakh participants are expected to take part from RK Beach to Bheemili. Extensive preparations are underway for the celebrations, he affirmed.
He also commended Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu for his initiative to plant one crore trees on World Environment Day, urging citizens to plant trees and practice yoga to combat pollution and enhance health.
Deputy Speaker K Raghu Rama Krishna Raju supported the call for yoga in schools, noting that traditional practices are fading and that legislation is being considered to revive them.
The training session, led by AYUSH Department officers Dr Ramanandam and Dr Ratna Priyadarshini, saw the participation of officials like AYUSH Director K Dinesh Kumar and Secretary General Prasanna Kumar Suryadevara.
