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Journalism of Courage
A natural fallout of constantly living on the edge, fighting terrorism in difficult terrain and harsh weather all the while defying the biological clock is stress, mental and physical. Security forces engaged in anti-insurgency operations here have found a natural remedy for it—yoga.
The Army, Border Security Forces and Central Reserve Police Force have made yoga an essential part of the training programme for their units in the Valley. ‘‘Our troops are now getting regular yoga and meditation classes,’’ IG, CRPF, Kashmir A P Maheswari said. Maheswari said the troops stay constantly away from home and are deployed in a highly sensitive environment with a constant threat to their lives, causing heavy stress. ‘‘Yoga helps reduce stress and rejuvenates them (troops) for effective operations against the militants.’’
The CRPF, which recently took over Srinagar city from the BSF, is at the forefront of counter-insurgency operations here. It also provides security to VIPs and protects high-security installations across Kashmir. ‘‘All our anti-militancy battallions are being trained by teachers from the Art of Living institute, Mumbai,’’ Maheshwari said. ‘‘And these daily exercises have certainly helped our troops…’’
The Army too has made yoga an essential part of its training. In fact, the 15 Corps had invited a team of yoga experts from south India, who held a special workshop for the troops at Army’s Corps Battle School (CBS) in South Kashmir recently.
‘‘Yes, yoga is now part of our daily routine at each formation level,’’ Defence spokesman, Lt Col V K Batra said. ‘‘It is now part of our training curriculum. These exercises have helped our troops in relieving stress.’’
For the past 15 years, the psychological trauma among the security forces here has shown a marked increase. Around 100 Army and paramilitary personnel including a dozen officers have died after angry and depressed colleagues have opened indiscriminate fire. Many of them have committed suicide. A soldier was also sentenced to death for killing an officer for stopping him from setting an entire village on fire to avenge a Fidayeen attack.
After the officers experimented with yoga on the troops and found it yielding positive results in cutting stress, the Army made yoga mandatory for all fresh units in the valley. ‘‘All the fresh units, before joining operational duties have to undergo special yoga sessions at the Corps Battle school for a specified period,’’ Batra said.
BSF that has been entrusted with counter-insurgency duties in certain sensitive pockets in north and south Kashmir too has taken up yoga. ‘‘We are training our troops and officers. A team of yoga experts from Mumbai is teaching our troops yogasanas and pranayam (breathing exercises),’’ BSF spokesman, P R Manhas said. ‘‘In each sitting, the experts train 150 personnel and officers.’’ Manhas said, ‘‘Yoga and meditation are of great help. It makes troops feel good.’’
Commandant 50 Batallion, CRPF deployed in a high-security zone of Bakshi stadium said that regular yoga has reduced pressure and tension on troops. ‘‘After the sessions, the performance of our troops has also increased,’’ he said.
