New Delhi: More than 100 IAS, IPS and other civil services officers undertook an inner engineering leadership retreat programme designed by spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev at the Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore.
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), in association with Isha Foundation, organised the five-day in-service leadership programme for the officers from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Forest Service (IFoS) and other central services.
The programme, designed by Sadhguru, was conducted between January 29 and February 2.
"Wonderful to see so many #CivilServiceOfficers invested in inner engineering for inner wellbeing and higher possibilities. As the frontliners in crafting social, political and economic change, your inner wellbeing will determine and impact the wellbeing of all lives around you. Congratulations on taking a significant step towards making it happen. Best wishes & blessings," Sadhguru said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
More than 100 IAS, IPS, IFoS and other civil services officers participated in the five-day programme, Isha Foundation said in a statement on Saturday.
Senior IAS officer Sonal Goel said it was truly overwhelming, fantastic and a wonderful experience.
"The programme has been very well designed to emphasise on the components such as mental wellbeing, inner reflection and awareness of self. It really helped me reconnect with myself again. As a civil servant, I realise the importance and value this programme holds," Goel told PTI.
She said, as an officer, connection with self is of foremost importance as it helps in balance of work as well as interpersonal relationships.
"The activities like jungle trek, etc. reinforce the importance of team spirit and collaboration which is important in organisations for effective public service delivery," said Goel, Resident Commissioner, Tripura Bhawan here.
Isha Foundation has trained more than 800 civil servants so far under the programme at its Coimbatore centre, it added.
The programme content is designed for officials holding senior leadership positions in central and state governments.
The primary objectives of the programme include enhancing one's ability to handle stressful situations, improving inter-departmental collaboration to achieve governance objectives, enhancing interpersonal relationships, and fostering personal and professional clarity along with a deep sense of inner peace and fulfilment.
"When implemented as a lifestyle, the holistic programme also offers numerous long-term health benefits, including relief from chronic physical and mental ailments," the statement said.
Highlighting the key takeaways from the programme, senior IAS officer Saravanan M said it has provided him with the ideas, perspectives, and processes to achieve the competencies needed to transform his life and career.
"What I think inside, I manifest outside. If my thinking is clear, my actions would become better. This would directly contribute to the decision-making in my service. The inner engineering programme has provided me with the ideas, perspectives, and processes to achieve the competencies needed to transform my life and career," said Saravanan, Divisional Commissioner, Saran Division, Bihar.
Describing her learning from the programme, IPS officer Neha Yadav said that all of them encounter issues, often involving interactions with others.
"Typically, we perceive the other person as an opponent who doesn't understand us. After completing the programme, I will now consider the person as also being a part of me to whom I need to explain the situation. The other person has their perspective; let both perspectives meet and come up with a solution," said Yadav.
"Previously, I always treated the other person as an opponent, never as a part of me. This shift in perspective, I believe, will make a difference as I reflect on my issues," said Yadav, Principal of Police Training Centre, Arunachal Pradesh.
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