Report

Program: Kaushalam – DOPT – InService Officers & Policy Makers

Date: Jan 3 to 5, 2022

Time: 9 am to 3.15 PM

Format: Online

The very first Kaushalam for the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) was conducted at the turn of the new year. This was the culmination of sustained efforts over the past 3 years to enter the DoPT’s panel of training organizations.

The delegates cover a wide range of Leadership roles and functions in the Central/State Government as well as Public Sector undertaking.

The Speakers were carefully curated to meet the high expectations of DoPT. They are experts from a varied professional background bonded by their Heartfulness Meditation practice and willingness to serve the Mission.

The red thread that bound this entire 3 days was the theme of creating “My Best Version”

The Delegates were first taken through a short ice-breaker session on Jan 2nd where their expectations were captured and clarified on what is in scope of the program. The session also helped the delegates introduce each other and quickly bond over short informal conversations as well as get introduced to the program, contents and faculty

Jan 3 was the first day of the formal program. A chair Yoga & Pranayama session conducted by Heartfulness Yoga Trainer gave an energetic start to the day.

This was followed with a gentle introduction to the first two core practices of Heartfulness viz. Relaxation and Meditation. This set the tone for the delegates to begin exploring their consciousness.

The first expert subtly and deftly engaged the delegates on the challenges of trying to control the External Environment and instead focus on managing our internal environment. He explained on how this is simply achieved through our core practices helping one to move from Pause to Poise. He left the delegates to ponder on two key life operating principles – Non-stop Learning & Being Humble.

After a short break, the second expert dealt with the theme of “Aspirations, Expertise & Purpose”. He adapted Otto Scharmer’s U Theory framework to convey how one can move from Operating from past patterns to Performing from the Whole using an Open Mind, Open Heart and Open Will.

Post lunch, Pullela Gopichand, Chief National Coach Badminton India and Founder Pullela Gopichand Academy, our luminary for the day, mesmerized the delegates for an hour with some delectable and deep insights from his highly illustrious sporting career spanning over 3 decades. He shared anecdotes to highlight how he has managed to keep balance between the highly competitive sporting world with the deeply intense inner world using meditation as his primary resource.

The day ended with a recap and reinforcement from all delegates and a preview of next day’s sessions.

Jan 4, Day 2, started with a Medical Professional’s expert session on Neuroscience & Leadership Consciousness. He presented research backed evidence on the tremendous benefits of meditation on our brain, managing stress and laid special emphasis on the need for quality sleep.

A short demonstration by three young students from the Brighter Minds program amazed the delegates and added a magical dimension to the discussion on brain science and meditation.

Our fourth expert took over the reins for the next hour taking the delegates through the Qualities of consciousness using scientific data and research from a wide range. He structured his presentation around the themes of a) Be stronger than your environment; b) Compassion: The Change Option; c) Wisdom 2.2 – Stepping into the Future of Emotions & d) The Forrest Gump Potentiality. He made the delegates think deeply on how they operate daily in the thinking and feeling dimensions using the Self, Heart, Mind and Body.

The delegates were then guided through the 3rd core practice of Rejuvenation with a brief introduction followed by an experiential session. The delegates were invited to contemplate on what their final version will look like and share in a short presentation on the final day.

Before lunch break, a rejuvenating chair yoga and pranayama session was conducted by our expert yoga trainer.

Later in the afternoon, Sanjay Bhatia, IAS, our luminary for day 2, shared his experiences in using meditation as an essential tool in his daily interactions with his stakeholders and the salutary effects it had on the outcomes. He challenged the delegates to reflect and find answers to the question “Who am I”. He concluded the session with a short absorbing meditation session.

The day ended with a recap and reinforcement from all delegates and a preview of next day’s sessions

Jan 5, Day 3 – Yoga session with our trainer gave an energetic start to the final day.

Thereafter our 5th expert engaged the delegates in a very interactive session on “Skills & Capacity Building in the community” where each of the delegate could resonate deeply with the various initiatives that the Heartfulness Institute was engaging across the country positively impacting the lives of several millions including the under-privileged, socially and economically deprived classes. They also got a close-up look into the various initiatives that Heartfulness is leading in the Environment and Conservation space.

The delegates then went through a gentle, graceful and impactful session on “Connect to Inner source” which marked the culmination of the core practices.

Individual meditation sessions with trainers were organized for all the delegates followed by their sharing their ‘My Best Version” stories. The delegates then narrated their experiences in Kaushalam.

The session concluded with a quick briefing on what awaits the delegates next as they enter the Kaushalam and Heartfulness Kutumba. All delegates are entitled to a heartfulness trainer on call, for life; access to Heartfulness Centres, Libraries and Retreat Centres with overnight stay; access to webinars and other Heartfulness programs and several other benefits.

At 5 pm, Heartfulness Global Guide Sri Kamlesh Patel alias Daaji graced the session with his wonderful presence. He gave a pithy talk followed by a live meditation and then addressed the delegates’ questions. His presence and grace gave a befitting closure to the 3 days Kaushalam for the DoPT delegates.

Testimonials from Delegates:

“Scientific and medical evidence of real improvement in the wellbeing of the persons consistently engaged in the heart fullness meditation; the continuous efforts on the part of the coordinators to bring best version of the participants all through the entire course”
Lakku Venkateshwarlu, Director General, UP Academy of Administration & Mgt, Lucknow

“All elements were equally most useful in it’s place and meaning; a systematic and scientifically explained about presence of energy in our body and its movements including cleaning procedure. A great knowledge I should practice daily”
Shivkumar Pradhan, Secretary, Home Department, Sikkim

“Everything was top class but personally I liked most the sessions by P. Gopichand – his simplicity, clarity of thought and articulation and Dr Jayaram’s session, not just for its content but also his simplicity and openness shone through. Chair Yoga is also very useful”
Vatsala Vasudeva, Managing Director, Gujarat Industrial Power Corporation Ltd, Vadodara

“Great team work and coordination, Well planned and structured sessions, Humility has no substitute, Thoughts and Actions should always coincide and complement each other”
Bishnu Mallick, Director, Census & Citizen Register, Jaipur

“Practices of Heartfulness were most useful”
Ravindra Telang, Principal Secretary, Home Department, Sikkim

Faculty, Speakers, Luminaries:

Program Directors: Harpreet Bhan & Subramanian Sankaran