Gurdaspur Diary: Riding a bicycle to well-being
Batala: Hope gives one health, and health gives one everything. Nobody knows this Arabian adage as well as Woodstock Public School, Batala. It was one of the few schools that observed Sunday’s World Health Day. To honor the occasion, the school hosted a celebration. Both the faculty and the students participated in the events with enthusiasm and energy.
Dr. Satinder Kaur Nijjar, the chairperson, planned a bike rally for students to highlight the value of cycling as a means of sustaining a healthy lifestyle. The procedures had been well organized and carried out by the agency. Dr. Nijjar said, “I am a doctor, and in a doctor’s book, the best cures are a good laugh, some exercise, a little pedaling, and decent sleep.” Actually, until illness knocks on our door, we do not appreciate the benefits of being well.
Only then do we find ourselves frantically trying to preserve our health in order to attain a decent balance in life. I chose to add cycling since it enhances relationships, happiness, health, and many other aspects of life.
I often remind my students that the number of sick days used by people who bike for 30 minutes, five days a week, is about half that of people who do not exercise. As a doctor, I can confidently state that those who regularly bike have a markedly decreased risk of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all forms of cancer. I have a ton of scientific data that supports cycling as a stress-relieving exercise. It is really desired that more educational institutions take part in the World Health Day celebrations next year.
Motivational story for impoverished children using celluloid
When they learned that they would be seeing the Hindi film “12th Fail,” the about 70 impoverished kids attending Romesh Mahajan’s Preliminary Education Centre in Maan Kaur village were overjoyed. The kids were absorbed in the movie on Thursday when a few technicians entered the room with a computer and a big screen.
This story of a guy who overcomes all difficulties is thought-provoking, inspiring, and compelling. It is also a tale of optimism and resiliency, as it demonstrates how the protagonist gets over corruption and poverty to pass the nation’s civil service examination.
The two educators at the center, Ms. Ashu and Ms. Manjit Kaur, should also be commended for their commitment to providing disciplined instruction. Notably, SSP Harish Dayama and his IAS officer spouse, Amrit Singh, have been generously contributing to the cause of giving these underprivileged youngsters a decent existence. Their parents, who are all ragpickers or beggars, are unable to pay for their children’s proper education, much less two square meals a day.
It’s where Mahajan comes in. He spends between Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000 on the infrastructure and amenities required to teach the children. “It is God’s will that I teach these children, who would have been too busy begging for money at the bus stop and train station. I think the saying goes that if you offer a youngster a fish, he will overcome his hunger pains for the day. However, he will be able to feed his future generations if you teach him how to catch fish, Mahajan said.
