While the world is still discussing the merits and demerits of yoga on the eve of International Yoga Day on June 21, students of Vangaveeti Mohana Ranga Rao Municipal High School are quite appreciative of the ancient practice.
The school, which was bereft of basic facilities till 2014, saw lady-luck smiling on it when City Police Commissioner A.B. Venkateswara Rao adopted it in August. The reason: he was overwhelmed by the students’ presentation of intricate yoga postures at a programme organised to celebrate the 142nd birth anniversary of Andhra Kesari Tanguturi Prakasam at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram.
The dedication of the six students – Swathi, Dhanalakshmi, Bharathi, Uma Maheswari, Indu and Aparna – moved the top cop, who initiated several development activities with the help of sponsors including an e-learning facility at the school.
“A digital smart board, which is of the size of a black board, has been installed to help students learn their lessons in a modern way. The emphasis will be given to graphics and live pictures. This feature will be used for students from Class VI to X towards effective teaching,” school head mistress Gracemma said.
She added that all the teachers were given training in digital teaching by an expert from Bangalore and soon an operator will be attached to the school. “This facility will be inaugurated by the police chief later this month,” she pointed out.
The school’s rendezvous with yoga began when Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) sent a yoga teacher Surya Kumari when it failed to appoint a physical education teacher. “I gradually won the hearts of many young girls who took a liking for yoga. The six girls used to come to IGMC stadium for advanced training and they began to perform well both in competitions and in programmes,” said the yoga teacher.
Thanks to yoga, the school witnessed development activities such as refurbished toilets, more classrooms, furniture, books, library-cum reading room, clearance of dump yard, greenery, bore well, water tank, a hygienic kitchen to serve mid-day meal and a coat of colour to the building. “The CP is not happy with the water taps and he is keen to change them with brand new ones soon,” says Gracemma.
The 400-odd girl students of the school come from poor socio-economic background. None of the students’ parents have a regular job in the organized sector. They all work as auto drivers or pull rickshaws or work as daily wage labourers.
Interestingly, the school scored cent per cent pass-out in the Class X public exams in both 2014 and 2015.
