It's not every day that a schoolgirl teaches a chief minister some lessons. No wonder, 12-year-old Megha Netra, a seventh grader from Dipatoli in Ranchi, became an instant celebrity on Sunday.
Roped in as a key demonstrator at the state's official celebrations to mark International Day of Yoga on Sunday, Megha taught chief minister Raghubar Das some nifty moves at Morabadi grounds with aplomb.
Being the CM, Das got a special privilege of having Megha perform before him so that he could pick up his asanas fast.
Personifying synchrony and grace, Megha proved herself equal to key instructors Sanjay Singh of Patanjali Yogpeeth and P.N. Singh, yoga faculty, Art of Living, when it came to demonstrating the exercises before Das, ministers and top administrative brass, among the 10,000-odd gathering from all walks of life.
After all, Megha was among the 50 children across India who trained under Baba Ramdev in Haridwar from May 26 to June 1 for this big day.
Megha may study in Class VII in Bishop's School, Doranda, but the schoolgirl, an only child, is a pro at yoga thanks to her parents Manoj Jha, an executive in a private firm, and Sapna Jha, a physics teacher at Central Academy, both ardent yoga practitioners.
Megha has been performing yoga with her parents for as long as she remembers. Her parents teach yoga, too.
And, for the past four years, besides practising at home. Megha is also learning yogasanas at Patanjali Yogpeeth in Ranchi.
"I was among 50 children from the country who underwent training from Baba Ramdev. Baba perfected our skills and posture so that we could demonstrate asanas at places where Patanjali undertook the responsibility to train people on world yoga day. All the hard work paid off this morning (Sunday)," grinned Megha.
"This day is special for the nation as well as for me," she said when asked how she felt while performing yoga before the state VVIPS at the mega event in Morabadi. "I'll remember this day throughout my life."
"It was a wonderful experience today. Yoga, which I had been following since childhood, is now an internationally acclaimed process to make the body and mind healthy. I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the initiative to make the world follow yoga," Patanjali Yogpeeth's Sanjay Singh said.
Art of Living's P.N. Singh, who happens to be a former Ranchi DSP, said he was thrilled that he was an active part of the first world yoga day.
"This day will go down in history as one which changes the quality of life for numerous people in the world. And, I've played a part in it. I have no words to express my joy. All I wish to say is if someone wants inner purification and peace, he or she must follow yoga," he said.
What about the little champ?
"For me and my parents, yoga is a part of life. Everyday, we perform yoga from 4.30am to 5.30am. And, we will continue to do so," said Megha.
Will you take up yoga as a family activity? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com
