Jawans from the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre, Mohali talk about how yoga has helped them recuperate.
Grit accompanied with modern therapies and yoga can help achieve wonders even if the odds are heavily against you.
Giving this message loud and clear are the outstanding jawans from the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre (PRC), Mohali, whose lower bodies (waist down) have almost become dysfunctional because of bullet or shrapnel injuries.
Fourteen of them were part of the International Yoga Day celebrations at Capitol complex, Chandigarh and performed some asanas to such perfection that it left several participants captivated.
The Army’s ex-rifleman Mohammed Latif from 10 JAK LI (Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry) regiment says he feels more rejuvenated since he made yoga a part of his daily routine about two years ago. Latif was hit by an enemy bullet when he was out on an operation in the Poonch-Rajouri sector in 2001. The bullet damaged his spinal cord, leaving him paralysed waist down.
“I did not lose heart, and my hopes were rekindled when I got enrolled in a rehab programme at PRC, Mohali. The introduction of yoga about two years ago has helped me gain more confidence,” says Latif who is a Paralympic basketball player and represented India at the Pacific Paralympic Games in 2005.
Latif’s basketball partner ex-Gunner, Ajit Kumar Shukla was also hit by a terrorist's bullet while on patrol in Rajouri sector in 2005. The bullet pierced his stomach and smashed his spinal cord, making his lower body redundant.
“We were to board a train for Hyderabad for the national basketball championship, but postponed that to attend this programme first. It is a great feeling to be a part of the yoga celebration. Yoga has helped us become strong mentally and more agile physically and it reflects in our game too. Now we are more at ease,” says Shukla, who became a proud father of twins eight months ago.
“PRC introduced yoga with the help of the Art of Living Foundation in 2014 and since then the results have been encouraging. Jawans at our centre practice yoga each day – there is a short duration 20-minute yoga session on six days and a longer duration yoga session for a little more than one hour, once a week. Yoga has helped jawans recuperate faster,” says Col (retired) Jaswant Singh Spehia, director of PRC, Mohali.
Captain (retired) Braj Paul Singh and Dr Archana are the Master Trainers who impart yoga training to about 45 jawans at the PRC.
Capt Singh who was trained at Art of Living says, “The jawans perform Pranayam every day. Besides, we introduce customised asanas for each jawan, depending on his case and type of disability. It has helped them become more focused,” says Singh.
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