Over 80 senior officials of civil services undergo leadership programme at Isha Yoga Centre in TN

New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) More than 80 senior civil service officers underwent a five-day leadership programme organised at the Isha Yoga Centre near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, an official statement issued on Monday said.

The primary objectives of the in-service programme, organised by the central government's Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in association with Isha Foundation, include enhancing officers’ ability to handle stressful situations, improving inter-departmental collaboration to achieve governance objectives, and strengthening interpersonal relationships.

Eighty-eight officers from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Forest Service (IFS) and group A officers from central services, participated in the Inner Engineering and Leadership Programme, designed by Sadhguru, and conducted by trained Isha teachers, said the statement issued by Isha Foundation.

It also focused on personal and professional clarity and cultivating a deep sense of inner peace and fulfilment, while offering long-term health benefits, including relief from chronic physical and mental ailments.

Addressing the officers, Sadhguru explained that the fear of suffering severely limits human potential, and said that “fear of suffering has crippled humanity”.

Sadhguru pointed out that once a person becomes “so blissed out” and recognises “the source of bliss is from within you, not because of something happening to you from outside,” there is a profound “assurance that you’re free from suffering...once you’re free from the fear of suffering, then every human being naturally takes bigger strides in their life.” The programme, held from January 5-9, 2026, is designed for officials holding senior leadership positions in central and state governments and blends powerful tools derived from Yogic sciences with contemporary leadership insights.

It enables participants to achieve inner balance and leverage its impact on their effectiveness as leaders and as human beings, helping them realise their limitless potential and support those within their sphere of influence to realise their own.

Suhas Devesai, currently serving as Settlement Commissioner, Maharashtra, said he arrived without any expectation but found the experience enthralling. “People should come here, they should learn about inner engineering," Devesai said.

Sharing his experience, Yogesh Choudhury, a 1996-batch IPS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, presently posted as Additional Director General (Provisioning and Planning), said, “Inner Engineering Leadership Programme has been a very positive enrichment for me. I believe the yoga practices which we do here...is going to be of much use for my spiritual, personal and professional development and well-being.” The five-day leadership programme included meditation sessions guided by Sadhguru, a holistic set of Yoga postures, engaging discourse with Sadhguru, and initiation into Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya, a powerful 21-minute process that unlocks access to unexplored possibilities.

It is specially tailored for leaders in government, aligning inner wellbeing with the demands of public service and is offered at the picturesque Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore, the statement said.

Among the 42 programmes funded by DoPT, this has attracted the highest number of officers since its inception in 2015, it added. PTI AKV AKV MNK MNK