Dubai (PTI): Head coach Rahul Dravid has tested negative for COVID-19 and is set to join the Indian team ahead of its much-awaited Asia Cup opener against Pakistan here on Sunday.

Batting great Dravid, who had tested positive for the virus ahead of the team's departure for the continental tournament in a routine test, has fully recovered from the condition.

The former India skipper didn't travel with the team after testing positive as the BCCI appointed NCA head VVS Laxman as India's interim coach.

Since returning positive in the test conducted on August 23, Dravid had been undergoing home isolation.

Earlier, BCCI secretary Jay Shah released a statement where he stated that the Indian head coach had mild symptoms.

"Team India Head Coach Rahul Dravid has tested positive for COVID-19 in a routine test conducted ahead of the team's departure to the UAE for Asia Cup 2022.

"Dravid is under the supervision of the BCCI Medical team and has mild symptoms. He will join the team once he returns with a negative COVID-19 report," Shah had said in a release.

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Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.

AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.

“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.

He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.

“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.

According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.

In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.

AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.