The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) had earlier issued directives to all affiliated schools to dedicate 45 minutes every day to self-defence training to girl students. Bollywood Actor Akshay Kumar, who runs a martial arts school for women in suburban Mumbai, is elated with the move.
"This has been a dream come true for me. Given the times that we live in, self-defence is an important skill to have and should be made compulsory for girls in every school. I congratulate the CBSE Chairman, Seshu Kumar, for making this happen," says the overwhelmed actor.
Akshay, who plays the antagonist in Shankar's 2.0, the sequel to the Rajinikanth-starrer 2010 hit, Robot/Enthiran, will soon start shooting in Delhi and hopes that the move will be implemented in private schools as well and soon.
"Self-defence is important for one's safety and I will continue to promote it diligently till it's implemented everywhere," asserts Akshay, a trained martial artist himself.
"I started practising the art when I was around eight or nine years old and I understand the importance of discipline and self-defence," says Akshay from whose school seven thousand girls have graduated in the last five years, with the count going up steadily every year.
There were some blind students too who came out of the training programme feeling stronger and far more self-reliant.
Will he impart the same training to his own daughter, the four-year-old Nitara? "For sure," he smiles.
How has he found the time to promote this cause despite a hectic calendar crowded with film commitments?
"I don't personally train them, those who have learnt from me are the ones who teach them regularly. I make sure to visit the school ever so often, definitely on graduation day. It's a proud day for me that I wouldn't want to miss," he signs off.
