Calmer Minds. Better Governance.
Stress management and leadership training designed for government employees and their organisations. Since 2004.
The Art of Living Government Programs are specially designed to equip officers and employees of government organisations with practical tools for stress management, personal effectiveness, and behavioural competence.
Since 2004, these programs have reached 4 Lakh+ government employees across 350+ government ministries and departments in Central Government, 27 State Governments, Armed Forces, Police Forces, Government Establishments, and Administrative Training Institutes.
The program is part of the in-service training curriculum for IAS, IPS, and IFoS officers under the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Government of India.
How We Transform?
Government training curricula are strong on domain and functional competencies. Officers learn policy, law, regulation, and procedure. The behavioral and interpersonal competencies that determine how effectively those skills are applied under pressure are rarely addressed.
Government Employees face sustained stress from multiple directions: professional workload, public scrutiny, political pressure, family demands, and frequent transfers. This accumulates over a career and shows up as fatigue, reduced motivation, strained interpersonal relationships, and declining health. The result is not just individual suffering but institutional drag: lower efficiency, weaker teamwork, higher friction, and resistance to new challenges.
The Art of Living's Government Programs equips them with practical skills to manage stress, maintain composure under pressure, and perform their duties with calmness and clarity. Through breathing techniques, meditation, and other evidence-based practices, participants learn to navigate high-pressure situations, recover from setbacks, and respond to challenges with resilience and confidence. These programs foster emotional well-being, enhance focus and decision-making, and help build a calm, resilient, and effective workforce.
These are the gaps our programs are designed to fill.
Every Level Programs
Building Competencies for Personal Excellence
For: Senior Officers and Group A Officers
3 to 5 full consecutive days at the Art of Living International Centre, Bengaluru, or any other centre in India. (Boarding and lodging included)
8 to 15 hours spread over 3 full days, or 2 to 3 hours daily over 4 to 5 consecutive days, at a premises arranged by the department
Government Executive Program
For: Group A and Group B Officers
3 to 5 full consecutive days at the Art of Living International Centre, Bengaluru, or any other centre in India. (Boarding and lodging included)
8 to 15 hours spread over 3 full days, or 2 to 3 hours daily over 4 to 5 consecutive days, at a premises arranged by the department
Happiness Program for Government Employees
For: Group A, B, and C Officers (All Levels)
3 to 5 full consecutive days at the Art of Living International Centre, Bengaluru, or any other centre in India. (Boarding and lodging included)
8 to 15 hours spread over 3 full days, or 2 to 3 hours daily over 4 to 5 consecutive days, at a premises arranged by the department
We come to you. With a Non-Residential program our faculty travels to your department, so large batches do not need to travel to Bengaluru.
Aligned with the Karmayogi Competency Model
Our programs are designed to build transformation across the 10 behavioural competencies identified in the Karmayogi Competency Model for Government Employees.
| Framework Category | Competencies Addressed |
|---|---|
| Swadhyaya(Self) | Self AwarenessPersonal EffectivenessSolution OrientationCreativity and Innovation |
| Sahakaryata(Team) | CommunicationCollaborative LeadershipTeam Leadership |
| Rajyakarma(Systems) | CollaborationDecision Making |
| Svadharma(Citizen) | Service Orientation |
Program Components
What we do
Physical, Mental and Emotional Well-Being
Breathing techniques, Pranayama, Yoga.
Self Discovery and Deep Rest
Sudarshan Kriya Yoga and Meditation.
Practical Ancient Wisdom
Management sutras drawn from timeless Indian wisdom traditions.
Karma Yoga and Service Leadership
Building a sense of purpose and responsibility toward society.
Program Outcomes
These outcomes are consistent with feedback collected from 1,000+ government participants across Group A, B, and C officers at the end of the program, where 90% or more reported improvement on most parameters.
Personal
- Increased energy and focus
- Better physical health and sleep quality
- Reduced stress, anxiety, and negative emotions
- Clarity of mind and sharper thinking
- More creativity and intuitive decision-making
- Positive attitude and emotional balance
- Greater compassion and empathy toward others
At Office
- Greater efficiency and productivity in daily work
- Improved morale and self-motivation
- Stronger interpersonal relationships with colleagues and seniors
- Better communication and listening skills
- Readiness to take on new and challenging assignments
- Healthier work-life balance
- A broader vision and genuine orientation to serve
Organisational
- Stronger teamwork and ability to resolve conflicts constructively
- A more positive, inclusive, and ethical work environment
- Increased sense of belonging and ownership toward the organisation
- Higher preparedness for organisational change
Our Programs Are Backed By Science
Over 100 independent studies conducted across four continents and published in peer-reviewed journals have demonstrated measurable benefits from practicing Sudarshan Kriya Yoga, the core breathing technique taught in our programs.
A recent study by the University of Yale and Harvard Medical School evaluated three wellness training programs and found the Art of Living program to be the most effective, showing the greatest impact across all six measured outcomes: depression, stress, mental health, mindfulness, positive effect, and social connectedness.
Key findings from published research
Beneficiary Testimonials
I am not only trained for personal excellence but it has also provided me perspective to look 10 years forward for my department or for my team. It has given me a vision. This is one training program, which I feel now, I should have attended 10 years back!
We are given the position for decision making but the skill to make the right decisions at the right time has improved with the techniques and practices I learnt here.
This program have taught me not only intelligence but emotional intelligence. I have imbibed sympathy, calmness and compassion. It has also helped me to handle pressure and deal with it efficiently.
Our work keeps us on toes and involves us to face chaos, but this program has helped me experience another level of calm between all of this.
"It was a wonderful and enjoyable programme with a difference. The programme will help me in improving my personal efficiency and, in turn, my efficiency at work place."
"Well structured and well organized programme. All the sessions were very interesting. Lot of emphasis on personality development and self improvement. Serene environment, hospitable staff, polite and courteous faculty. Overall a wonderful experience. I would recommend all middle level and senior level offices of Govt. of India and State Govt. to attend this course."
"An excellent programme about being healthy, happy, more useful to family, society, organisation and nation & humanity. The programme will help me in work in better team building, being compassionate to juniors, better results & efficiency."
"Very refreshing and rejuvenating. Journey to the self has begun. The programme will help in my work life in stress management, inter-personal relationship and expanding the time available for productive work."
"This 5 day programme put my life in a long term perspective. I got an insight into where my life is headed to, how am I performing as leader in my organization & how to better my performance both with in organization and at home. It rejuvenated and recharged me to handle various challenging assignments without getting stressed."
"It was once in a life-time experience. Learnt many new things which surely I was to miss. It was truly a great experience. The programme taught us to live in present, always attempt to enhance capabilities and to be in peace. It will help us in looking the work from an entirely new perspective."
"Learnt a lot especially ancient wisdom to keep body and mind healthy. Well designed and exceedingly well organised. A perfect ten. The programme will help to increase my productivity; team work; EQ and also definitely my health."
"Excellent experience. Emerged a different person after attending the course. Positivity, energy, tolerance, patience and calmer are some of the qualities that I am taking with me. I commend the selfless services being rendered by the volunteers in the intent of mankind and humanity."
Customized Modules to Empower Your Department
Residential
At the Art of Living International Centre, Bengaluru, or other campuses across India. Boarding and lodging included. Ideal for immersive training away from the daily routine.
Non-Residential
At the department's training centre or at a venue arranged by the department. Feasible when departments have their own training infrastructure.
- as a standalone training batch organised exclusively for the Art of Living program, or
- blended into an existing training curriculum (for probationers, mid-career training, or any other scheduled program, with Art of Living sessions conducted in the morning or evening slots alongside regular sessions).
The Journey to Transformation Continues
Sustained practice produces sustained results. After the initial program, participants have access to ongoing support at no additional cost.
Art of Living App
Daily and weekly guided practice modules, meditations, and knowledge sessions by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Online Practice Sessions
The Government Programs team organises weekly online sessions (and daily sessions when sufficient participants are available).
Follow-Up Centres
The Art of Living has a network of follow-up centres across all states and districts of India. Any participant can attend weekly practice sessions at these centres on weekends.
Offline Practice at Department Locations
Depending on the department's initiative, regular practice sessions can be organised at the department's own premises for its trained officers.
Get in Touch
Want this program for your department?
We are happy to discuss your requirements, share a detailed presentation, or arrange a pilot batch.