Tech company in Kerala trains its workforce in martial art form Kalaripayattu

Breaking away from conventional approaches to employee wellness and growth, a tech company at Infopark here has introduced its workforce to the centuries-old martial art of Kalaripayattu.

Acsia Technologies, a global automotive tech brand from Kerala, recently introduced a 15-day Kalaripayattu training course as a core component of its new hire training programme. Kalaripayattu is an ancient martial art indigenous to Kerala with a legacy of more than 3,000 years.

This groundbreaking initiative has had 50 newly recruited employees taking part in an intensive training programme, guided by experienced Kalaripayattu instructors, in the past two weeks.

The initial 15-day Kalaripayattu course ended on September 25 but the employees can continue if they wish, the company said.

Everyday, the one-hour training started at 7.30 AM at the car parking area of the company's office.

Jijimon Chandran, Founding Director and CEO of Acsia Technologies, said the idea came from the realisation that maintaining physical and mental health is the most important thing.

"This was part of the training programme we organised for the 50 new engineers hired through campus recruitment. Along with the technical training, we wanted to provide them with physical and mental wellness programmes," Chandran said in a statement.

Muhammed Fayiz K V, who took part in the training, told PTI that he, like the others, holds a desk job, which is sedentary.

"Typically, this type of work is less physically demanding, but practicing Kalaripayattu can help us stay active and energised throughout the day," Fayiz said.

The company spokesperson told PTI that similar training was given to its employees in Thiruvananthapuram when the staff returned to office after the COVID-19 pandemic.