Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute, Lonavla and Institute of Salutogenesis and Complementary Medicine (ISCM) of Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Pondicherry, Member Institute and Associate Centre of Indian Yoga Association respectively came together for a Teachers Training Programme (TTP) consisting of a series of five intensive workshops conducted for the ‘Special Educators’, dealing with the children with special needs. This is a collaborative activity was supported by the Ministry of AYUSH and sponsored by the Dalal Family Foundation, USA. The first two TTPs were conducted at Kaivalyadhama, Lonavla in October 2023 (5th to 7th and 9th to 11th).
The third TTP was organized and conducted by the ISCM of SBV from 4th to 6th December 2023. It was an extremely successful program with 31 participants from in and around Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru and Trivandrum participating enthusiastically in this 3 day intensive TTP led by the Chief Facilitators Prof Dr Meena Ramanathan (Vice Principal, School of Yoga Therapy, ISCM, SBV) who planned and conducted all the Yoga Therapy sessions focusing on autism spectrum disorder – ASD and intellectual disability- ID; along with Dr Praseeda Menon, the Research Officer at the SRD of Kaivalyadhama who is the other counterpart incharge of the research extensional activities.
The inaugural ceremony was graced by the presence of the Vice Chancellor of SBV Prof NR Biswas, along with Prof. A.R. Srinivasan (Registrar), Prof. Ananthakrishnan (Dean Faculty), Prof. AK. Das (Dean Academics) and Mrs. Asha Suresh Babu (GM, Admin). Two e-Books compiled and created by the ISCM team were released by the Prof Biswas. These e-Books are the translated Tamil versions of the Yoga therapy for Care Seekers and Music therapy for Care Seekers books. Three eminent personalities who have been serving in the field of Special Education were honoured during the inaugural along with the Chief Facilitators.
The joy filled, jubilant and active practical yoga sessions provided by Prof. Meena Ramanathan in combination with the educative and interesting sessions on Yoga Research by Dr. Praseeda Menon provided an enriching and knowledge gaining hands on experience to the participants who interacted enthusiastically all through this productive program.
The final part of the 3 day TTP was an open discussion and feedback session in which all the participants were given an opportunity to express their thoughts and valuable suggestions and feedback regarding their future needs in this regard, were positively accepted and noted by the chief facilitators.
This successful 3 days program concluded with a valedictory ceremony in which Prof. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, the Director of ISCM congratulated the participants on having effectively completed the 3 day intensive training. He also wished them for successfully taking forward the research study in their respective schools and gave away the certificates to the Chief Facilitators of the TTP as well as the participants.
This is our small effort to reach out to these divine children through their teachers as an attempt to enhance their lives by inculcating regular Yoga Therapy in their school curriculum along with their other regular activities. We are planning to have regular follow-up programs in the future to update on the Yoga therapy protocols along with planning of more multi-centric research studies to be undertaken in this population.
