How politicians and public figures are fighting fit

The counting started at 22. Twenty-three … twenty-four … the announcer went on, as the 73-year-old man in a white T-shirt and black tracks did pushups on a school stage in Madurai on International Yoga Day past Saturday. At the count of 51, governor R N Ravi stood up, dusted his palms, and walked away. Purists may say push-ups aren’t part of yoga, but then the former IPS officer had just demonstrated how yoga helps him keep fit – and strong.

Politicians have a gruelling routine, waking up early to meet and greet people, holding endless meetings and traveling extensively. The daily schedule itself is physical exercise, but for politicians to keep going, they need to inculcate the habit of structured workouts.

And many of them are doing it in good earnest. Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin walks, cycles and occasionally does weight training. When he came for The Times of India’s Happy Streets at Anna Nagar on Aug 23, 2022, I asked him if he wanted to walk just half the street and go back. “I want to do the whole thing,” he said, and went on to walk the almost 2km stretch, stopping intermittently to play basketball, badminton and table tennis.

When I told him I was impressed by his fitness level, Stalin whispered a joke: “You know, when I go abroad with my son (Udhayanidhi), some people who don’t know us wonder if we are brothers.” I pulled his leg: “Who’s the elder brother?” Udhayanidhi, 47, says his busy schedule as deputy chief minister has robbed him of his gym hours, but he plays badminton. Actor-politician Vijay, who has worked himself out for his first profession, may find it useful to maintain his physique for the more taxing second profession.

Unlike many politicians who don’t play the game despite presiding over the apex bodies of those sports, PMK leader Anbumani, who is the president of Tamil Nadu Badminton Association, is a regular at the badminton court. NTK leader Seeman’s gym videos have gone viral, not just because of his comment “I do a thousand reps (of bicep curls with dumbbells) when I get aggressive”. Among the previous generation politicians, Vaiko, now 81, kept himself fit playing volleyball even when he spent 18 months in prison during 2002-2003 for making pro-LTTE speeches.

According to Sudesh Verma, the author of ‘Narendra Modi the Gamechanger, the 74-year-old Prime Minister rarely skips his morning walk. He also finds time for yoga and meditation. Among the younger lot, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, 55, is a black belt in the Japanese martial art of aikido. Union sports minister Kiran Rijiju is a fitness freak who posts workout videos on his social media handles. Congress leader Sachin Pilot, 47, runs marathons, and plays cricket and football. NCP MP Supriya Sule, 55, cycles and does yoga regularly. Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy, 55, is a football enthusiast. BJP’s Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, 34, trumped them all, completing the Ironman 70.3 challenge in Goa last Oct that included 1.9km swimming, 90km cycling and 21.1km running.

The caricature of politicians as potbellied old men in white kurtas is passe. It’s high time our cartoonists drew politicians as fit and fashionable men and women. Our politicians have realized the need to be in shape and flaunt it as part of image building. And that’s a healthy trend that should inspire people to follow suit. Increasing scientific evidence points to how physical fitness fosters a sharp mind – and that’s something a politician cannot lose, should he remain in circulation. As for our lawmakers, if a healthy body is a prerequisite to having a healthy mind, being fit should leave them with one less excuse for bad decisions.

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