Usha Play, Promoting A Healthy And Active Lifestyle With Yoga

India, a tapestry of cultures and traditions, finds unity in the thread of sports. In addition to promoting local traditions and crafts, Usha has also been working towards encouraging the youth to take active participation in sports and stay fit and healthy. Usha Play is one such initiative that encourages and promotes local sports that may either be on the verge of dying out completely or may have faded from public consciousness. Usha wants to re-familiarise the people of India with the sports and health activities of their regions.

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The women of the Usha Silai Schools play key roles in organising, promoting and participating in sports and community events. Hence, in Saswad municipality of Pune district in Maharashtra they have organised a camp where women can embrace yoga, promoting not just physical health but also unity and breaking societal barriers.

Alok Shukla, National Operations Head, of Usha Silai School Program, said,

As part of Usha's Silai School Program, we are trying to reach the remotest corner of the country. In this entire process, we realised that there are so many traditional sports that need some kind of engagement and encouragement. As part of this, we started promoting local sports because Usha is already promoting sports nationally. So as part of this intervention in this event, we are doing yoga because traditionally, yoga in Indian culture you will find yoga and we are promoting yoga at the rural level also that how this is beneficial and this helps break the caste and religion and other barriers.

Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice that originated in ancient India. It involves a combination of postures, breathing exercises, meditation, and ethical principles aimed at promoting overall well-being and self-awareness. Yoga camps organised by Usha Play are a boon for women, who are managing their houses, families and the small businesses they have set up after getting trained at Usha Silai Schools.

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Talking about the impact of Yoga camps on women, Yoga Acharya Maharudra Shetty from Sampurna Swasth Yoga Kendra in Pune said,

Women will benefit physically, mentally and emotionally. Women here are taught why the human body suffers from ailments, what type of asana is to be done to cure which problem, what should be done to avoid illness, what mental health is and how one should keep oneself calm and involve oneself in creative work. How should we control our thoughts and emotions and emotions and give a hundred per cent in whatever we do? All this is taught here.

Most of these women are housewives turned entrepreneurs. Along with the training they receive in Silai Schools, they also get opportunities to explore their interests in learning to play sports and develop hobbies. They also actively participate in identifying these traditional sports, helping organising them and also participating.

Excited about attending the yoga session and honing her skills, which will help her teach better, Varsha Mate, Trainer at Usha Silai School in Bhandara, Pune said,

I run sewing classes in my village and also teach yoga to women and girls in my area. One fine day, I received a call from Paresh Nagpure Sir, who works with Usha. He told me about the yoga program being organised at the Kasturba Trust here. I left all my work and came to attend the yoga class. I learned a lot from Mr. Shetty. If I continue to practice yoga, I will not have any diseases. My family will be healthy. I will not have to spend a lot of money on doctors.

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This yoga session organised in Saswad is not only beneficial for women of the area but also for women based in other cities, credit goes to technology and the online medium of learning helping these women enjoy an energetic yoga session sitting in the comfort of their homes.

Yoga Acharya Maharudra Shetty, Sampurna Swasth Yoga Kendra in Pune said,

Women are given the right kind of knowledge regarding all asanas. Yoga helps them relax so we should inspire people to come and participate in such programs and benefit from it.

Usha Silai Schools have a clear aim of enabling the women of India with skills that will empower them for life, skills that will give them the confidence to conquer the world and skills that will not only benefit them but also their families and the women around them. The aim reflects in the journey of Sangeeta, once a parlour owner, now an independent entrepreneur.

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Talking about the training, Sangeeta Uttam Sandekar, Trainer at the Usha Silai School in Jejuri Pune said,

Everyone is so warm that I feel at home here. Having undergone the training, I can now stitch my clothes. I want women to become independent and earn for themselves as I do. I am training here, earning independently and working towards expanding my small business.

Priya, a housewife turned entrepreneur by Usha and a Yoga practitioner, aims to reach out to more and more women and make the Usha women's army as big as possible.

After an energetic and enjoyable Yoga Session, the women receive participation certificates. Their bright smiles and positive attitude convey hopes of a healthier, happier and promising tomorrow.

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