In a first-of-its-kind initiative to promote the holistic development of school children, the Alluri Sitharama Raju district administration has launched ‘ASR Anandam’, the comprehensive programme aimed at fostering student’s physical fitness, mental well-being, creativity, cultural awareness and environmental consciousness.The programme, which will be observed every Saturday in all schools across the district, has been designed around the theme ‘Learn Joyfully, Live Healthily, Celebrate Culture’ with the objective of making schools centres of joyful and meaningful learning.“The goal of education is not merely academic excellence, but the all-round development of every child. Through ASR Anandam, we want our students to grow into healthy, happy, creative and culturally rooted individuals,” District Collector T. Nishanthi said, after launching the programme in a Government Tribal Welfare Girls School at Paderu on Saturday.Focus on 5 factorsThe ‘ASR Anandam’ initiative focuses on five key areas, she explained. Under ‘Healthy Living’, students will take part in yoga and physical exercise sessions to improve fitness and adopt healthy lifestyles. Under ‘Joyful Learning’, they will encourage activity-based teaching methods, games and interactive classroom sessions to make learning more engaging. As part of ‘Respecting Culture’, students will be introduced to the district’s rich tribal heritage, including traditional dance, music, art to help preserve and promote culture, she said.Meanwhile, under ‘Loving Nature’, students will be taught developing kitchen gardens and organise nature-based activities to strengthen environmental awareness and encourage sustainable practices. The fifth component - ‘Happiness and Well-being’, will focus on student’s mental health by promoting creativity, confidence and emotional well-being through recreational and innovative activities, the Collector added.The Collector also appealed to teachers, parents and officials to actively support the initiative and ensure its successful implementation across the district. Published - July 05, 2026 07:54 pm IST