RK Viswajit Singh :: Animal Gym Trainer - Winner of "Real Heroes"
- Manipur's Real Hero -

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RK Viswajit Singh :: Animal Gym Trainer - 'Winner of Real Heroes

Manipur is a place where drug addiction has become a menace. As a result, many have lost their precious life; children have been affected in different forms. The reasons are too many. Yet, it is not known to the people that whether it is due to the wrong policies of the Government or due to one's lack of confidence on oneself? However, in the year 2001, Fitness Trainer RK Viswajit Singh of Thangmeiband Polem Leikai, decided to wage a war against this menace through a method that he only knows i.e. body building.

Once resolve, how to bring the drug addicts into the fold of body building was the question? To pursue his resolve, he thought of setting up a gymnasium where drug addicts can be molded through a combination of workout, meditation and spreading awareness against the deadly cocktail of isolation, violence and drugs. Subsequently, he initiated a gymnasium named 'Animal Gym' with the objective to motivate the young and old to imbibe the idea 'health is wealth'. Whereby, one can induce strength into body and lead a healthy life. "Youths can defeat the dreaded disease HIV/AIDS through regular exercise and by maintaining good moral characters. We can make this earth, a heaven, free from diseases and drugs with unity", believes RK. Viswajit.

Driven by the philosophy that "man is a social animal" and if we can shed off the wild behavior then we have the potential to become a social being capable of making this earth a heaven, R. K. Viswajit christened the gymnasium as "Animal Gym". The motto of the gymnasium was "making each and every one a healthy person". Weighed by horrible experiences of friends, relatives and many other youth's lives being claimed by the dreaded disease HIV-AIDS, Viswajit was concerned and wanted to do something to fight against AIDS.

A society that is constituted by healthy youths both mentally and physically, he believes, the disease will go away. In his understanding, the real meaning of life lies in contributing something good to the society, country and to the whole human race. Viswajit is also confident that out of 100 well guided youths, one may become another Gandhi if not all in the land of Gandhi. The confidence comes from the fact that throughout the world, Gandhiji has influence the life of Nobel laureates Nelson Mandela, Aung San Su Kyi, and countless others.

RK Viswajit Singh :: Receiving the Real Heroes Award on March 24 2012

In recognition of the effort R.K. Viswajit was awarded the Winner of "Real Heroes in Health and Disability" category for 2011 at a glittering function at Grand Hyatt, Mumbai on 24th March 2012. The award was into its 5th edition. "Real Heroes", an initiative of CNN-IBN and Reliance Foundation, described Viswajit, as an individual waging a war against addiction through body building in a state which is a deadly cocktail of isolation, violence and drugs.

Physical trainer RK Viswajit of Khoyathong Polem Leikai received the prestigious Real Heroes Award in the Health and Disability. The award which carried a memento and Rs Five lakh as cash was handed over to him by cricketer Sachin Tendulkar in the presence of Nita Ambani, Chairperson, Reliance Foundation and Rajdeep Sardesai, editor-in-chief of IBN 18 Network.

RK Viswajit Singh training at the Animal Gym in April 2012

The aim of his dream project is to create a world where all the youths are free from diseases particularly HIV/AIDS so that all human kind can live healthy and in harmony. In his struggle, he faces difficulties in instilling a sense of confidence in the minds of drug users and their parents that disease like HIV/AIDS is a curable disease. To motivate the youths, he introduced them to the gymnasium where one can find a place to make one's body and mind fit. In addition, he organized voluntary awareness campaigns and seminar almost in every part of the state. Consequently, the difficulties were overcome.

"As health is the basic foundation of a healthy nation, we need to give more importance to our health mainly for the youths", observed RK Viswajit. In addition, he is of the opinion that "youths use intoxicated drugs when they don't see any hope in their future". Alarmingly, Manipur has more than seven lakhs unemployed youths. So, Viswajit's main targets are the youths since the transition period of our body, mind and spirit blooms during one's youth.

On receiving the Real Heroes award 2012, RK Viswajit feels that this award is certainly an encouragement to the efforts to make a drug free and AIDS free world. With the prize money he received, Viswajit plans to set up gymnasiums in far flung areas of Manipur where knowledge of physical fitness in its modern understanding does not exist. He also hopes that the cash prize will definitely help in fulfill his aspiration in a large way. In the future, RK Viswajit likes to take up 'total awareness drive' on good health and its importance.

After the establishment of "Animal Gym" in 2001, it was registered under Societies Registration Act of 1860 in the year 2005, and has opened branches in various parts of the state especially in the valley area. The main centre at Thangmeiband Polem Leikai has become a place for more than 300 youths to shape their body, mind and spirit. Once a youth who is confident in shaping its future, walks in to Animal Gym, he is sure to walk out with a change in everything in his/her life, RK Viswajit sounded positively.

There are provisions on the side of government to manage such type of gyms, but till date, no assistance has been received from the Government for Animal Gym, recorded RK Viswajit.

A Rally against Drug Abuse by Animal Gym

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