Chennai: While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets nationwide to aim for a world record on International Yoga Day on June 21, in Tamil Nadu, the logistics of the exercise is proving to be quite a bender. For the mega record creating event scheduled on Sunday morning, the NCC directorate in Tamil Nadu, which covers Puducherry and Andaman and Nicobar Island, plans to ensure participation of 94,867 cadets in over 80 venues.
With the event scheduled early in the morning, between 7 am and 7.35 am, officials are struggling to find accommodation for the thousands of students from outside Chennai who have been asked to report a day earlier for a rehearsal to ensure that the main event starts on time on Sunday.
According to sources, NCC Group HQ Madras ‘A’ has planned the biggest gathering in the city of 4,500 cadets comprising nearly 50 per cent of female cadets in Madras Medical College ground. However, sources said that the NCC was unable to arrange accommodation for those cadets coming from outside the city like Chengelpet and Thiruvallur.
“It will be very difficult for girls to come to the venue from outside city limits with limited transportation facility. They were supposed to be present in the venue before 6 am, which means they have to start from home by 3.30 am or 4 am,” complained the parent of a girl cadet in Tambaram.
Col Anbunathan of NCC Group HQ Madras ‘A’ said that efforts are being taken to make available accommodation for the cadets. He said that if accommodation was not available, the cadets would be picked up through buses. “We are trying to work out things so the event goes on successfully. After all, it is an international event and the country’s pride is involved,” he told DC.
About 15,000 cadets from the Group A would be participating in the event in various venues including Pachiayappa’s College, Vellore and Andaman & Nicobar Island. Sources said that Madras Univeristy had turned down the request from the NCC to make available its classrooms for accommodating the cadets. An official of NCC Group HQ Madras ‘B’ said they have made arrangements for accommodation for the cadets coming from faraway places.
“A total of 11,200 cadets from our group will take part in the events,” the official said. All the cadets underwent 15 days training on the set of asanas to be performed on the day and yoga instructors trained them.
Prime Minister Modi, while addressing NCC cadets during the PM’s NCC Rally at New Delhi on January 28, had exhorted the NCC to participate in yoga on International Day of Yoga and create a world record. His appeal came in the wake of UN General Assembly adopting an India-led resolution declaring June 21 as the ‘International Day of Yoga.
