MUMBAI, 20 AUGUST, 2023 (GPN): In a program titled ‘Yoga for Stress Management and Holistic Wellness’, launched last week by Lt Gen Ajai Kumar Singh, Indian Army, 77 soldiers serving under Southern Command completed 30+ hours of intensive Classical Hatha Yoga training here on Sunday. The participants learnt practices such as Surya Kriya – a variant of Surya Namaskar, Angamardana – a rigorous fitness system rooted in Yoga, Nadi Shuddhi – a Yogic practice resulting in balanced and psychological well-being, and Isha Kriya – a 12 minute meditation designed to cope with the hectic pace of modern life.

The program is specially designed in partnership with Isha Foundation and HDFC Bank Parivartan, to offer continuous week-long training sessions over the next 6 to 8 months to more than 10,000 serving soldiers in 23 locations from UP, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The intense nature of the training aims to bring holistic wellness to serving soldiers who otherwise undergo a lot of stress in challenging conditions. Makarand Mode, a Hatha Yoga Teacher from Isha Foundation conducted these sessions. “Sharing the profound science of Hatha Yoga with these dedicated souls was a privilege that goes beyond the physical. These practices, while enhancing their already impeccable physical prowess, will also cultivate unparalleled mental clarity, flexibility, and balance within them. Each of our warriors deserves inner peace, and it’s my privilege to guide them on this path.” added Mode, who has been teaching classical hatha yoga for the last six years.

Last Tuesday, Lt Gen AK Singh in his inaugural speech highlighted the importance of mental wellness in the Indian Army and how yoga can be used to ameliorate mental health issues prevalent in the society in general and Indian Army in particular.

Next month, the Coimbatore based Isha Yoga Center will host instructors selected from various units in Southern Command to be trained as certified Trainers to conduct Yoga Programs further in their units. Sadhguru, who established the Isha Yoga Center in Tamil Nadu in 1992 for the holistic wellbeing of humanity, has been training Hatha Yoga teachers in a rigorous 21-week teacher training program with the vision to offer ancient science of hatha yoga in all its purity and make it available to every individual.Ends