West Bengal: Medical colleges to have Taekwondo training soon

Kolkata: Taekwondo is being introduced in Medical colleges of the state as an an extracurricular activity for medical students and young doctors working in government medical colleges and hospitals by the Health Department.

Director of Medical Education (DME), West Bengal Dr Debashis Bhattacharya spoke of a formal notification in this regard being issued soon.

"Discussions have been going on this issue for some time.Training is already going on at NRS hospital and RG Kar Hospital and Calcutta National Medical College have also shown interest. A notification would be issued on this issue and a plan would be worked out," he informed Times of India

Sources in the Health Department claim that the NRS hospital Deputy Superintendent, Dr Dwaipayan Biswas, who is a taekwondo practitioner himself will be made a nodal officer for the project.

Biswas told TOI that the idea of Taekwondo training to medical students is slowly gaining ground. "If I am appointed as a nodal officer for this purpose, I will first discuss with Taekwondo Hall of Fame recipient Master Pradipta Kumar Roy as to how a panel of instructors could be formed that would give training at the medical colleges as a motivational and stress management tool for medical students and would also talk to the authorities of different medical college and hospitals."

A regular member of KUKKIWON World Taekwondo Leaders Forum, Roy who has been giving training to the junior doctors at NRS Hospital described the move as a very positive development. "I appreciate this initiative. West Bengal is the first state in the country to lead this educational movement on motivation and stress management through taekwondo. Many reputable universities and educational institutions have taekwondo as part of their curriculum. As a taekwondo player and instructor, it is my duty to build up a moral character and mental strength among people," he added.

It was in the earlier part of the year that the state DME, Dr Debashis Bhattacharya gave a proposal to the Medical Council of India to initiate Taekwondo as part of the MBBS curriculum for students of all medical colleges and hospitals reports TOI.