In a first, IIT-Kharagpur boosts health and fitness of would-be technocrats

In order to boost the physical and mental fitness of its students, IIT Kharagpur has launched the  ‘National Sports Organisation for health and fitness’ or NSO. NSO is an extra academic activity of IIT Kharagpur, which includes weekly training, work-out sessions and awareness drive among its 900 odd students.

‘We not only provide the best training facilities for sports activities, but will also coach students in yoga,  meditation in order to build their team spirit and boost mental faculties. IIT -KGP believes that fitness of health and mind enhances academic performance,’ Prof Gautam Saha, faculty, Department of Electronics, who is coordinating the programme, told Millennium Post.

Beginning with twice every week sessions, the NSO Health and Fitness Programme aims to make  students aware of the imperativeness of health through a gradual, interactive process. Organising a plethora of fitness exercises ranging from acrobatics to military postures, from building elementary fighting skills to improving agility is the key objective of the programme.

‘IIT KGP has a great structure of sports activities. These activities under NSO for health and fitness helps us develop a healthy bond within the campus and outside. The NSO training is necessary for everyone to stay fit and strong. We do physical training in a group under guidance of an instructor twice a week and later individual exercise for rest of the days as advised by the instructor’, says a student of the premier institute.

About 850 students have been equally divided into nine units and each unit is divided into three groups. Each group has its own student leader helping the faculty and instructor of the NSO. ‘Some of the aims are efficient metabolism, improved body composition, increased energy and stamina, endurance, strength, better sleep, decreased risk of injury, better self image’, said Prof Saha.