Teacher’s mantra for kids: First fitness, then studies

Surat: This 45-year-old primary school teacher had to undertake rigorous exercising sessions for a few months to increase his weight from just 50 kg around 20 years ago.
But now his aim is that none of his students has to go through what he has gone through. For this, he daily takes one basic warm-up exercise session in class before starting the lecture.
He gives his students flexibility training that helps them stay fresh throughout the day and encourages them to do exercise regularly.
Pratap Ghuge, a teacher in Surat Municipal Corporation-run 215 Bhaskaracharya School at Bhestan, looks 10 years younger than his current age. The reason is regular exercising. “I couldn’t wear trouser without a belt due to less weight, but after I started exercising my health improved. I now encourage others to stay fit,” says Ghuge.
“I try to keep my students fit. Hence, I have trained them in basic fitness exercise. I make them do warm-up exercise before starting the lecture. Doing this regularly makes them strong,” he explains.
He teaches different subjects, but also organizes physical training session for the students. Not only the students, but he teaches physical fitness to his fellow teachers as well. “We don’t have a regular PT teacher, but Ghuge daily advises the students how to keep fit. This helps the students to be in good health,” says Sudama Patil, the school principal.
Ghuge’s wife is also a fitness trainer. She runs a gymnasium for women. She learned physical fitness from her husband.