Bihar State to Pioneer Sports Performance Boost with Yoga Programme Designed by Swami Niranjanananda

Patna: The Bihar State Sports Authority has partnered with Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati of the Bihar School of Yoga, Munger, to develop a comprehensive yoga regimen tailored specifically for athletes in the state — a move officials hope will place Bihar at the forefront of integrating yoga into competitive sports.

According to the Bihar State Sports Authority, the initiative will focus on enhancing athletic performance, managing competition stress, and supporting recovery through scientifically curated yoga practices. Swami Niranjanananda, a globally respected yoga guru and head of the Bihar Yoga Vidyalaya Vishwa Yoga Peeth, has agreed to lead the development of this customised programme after discussions in Munger with the Authority’s director general and chief executive officer, Ravindran Shankaran.

The plan will include detailed guidance on four key areas: yoga asanas matched to specific sports disciplines, pranayama techniques to reduce competition anxiety, specialised postures for female athletes during menstruation, and supportive practices to help athletes recover mentally and physically after defeat.

“This collaboration will make Bihar the first Indian state to officially integrate yoga into athlete training at an institutional level,” Shankaran said. The yoga module will be implemented under the guidance of Swami Niranjanananda through the internationally acclaimed Bihar School of Yoga.

To coincide with World Yoga Day on June 21, the Sports Authority will host a yoga week for athletes from June 16 to 21, supported by the state’s health department. During this period, athletes across Bihar will have the opportunity to practise asanas developed under Swami Niranjanananda’s guidance.

Plans are also underway to produce a high-quality instructional video series in partnership with the health department, making these yoga practices accessible to athletes nationwide via an online link.