Living a full life

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In business and in life, a passion for fitness plays a huge role in the life of Yash Birla, the 44-year-old chairman of the Yash Birla Group. The business magnate boasts a physique that most captains of industry can’t, and with his latest venture — a fitness DVD called 100% Living — he’s hoping to share his philosophy of wellness with others.

Yash tells us that for him, 100 per cent living isn’t just a business concept, it’s a way of life. “100 per cent living is something you follow every single day: You do something to have a healthy body (exercise), something to have a healthy mind (contemplation or introspection) and something that creates a healthy spirit (prayer),” he explains.
Yash doesn’t think of the body, mind and spirit as separate entities; for him, they are integrated. That perhaps also explains the almost spiritual approach he has towards fitness, being known to sometimes work out to bhajans. “It’s true,” says Yash. “If I’m thinking of something else while working out, then the muscle is not being exercised as productively as it can be. The mind has to be involved. Spirituality is the base of everything we do. It’s not about going into the mountains and leading a hermit’s life. It’s about doing something with 100 per cent focus.”
Yash and his wife Avanti are seen at some of the most high profile bashes in the country, and yet abide by stringent lifestyle choices. Yash is a teetotaler and a vegetarian. He also works out for an hour every day. Isn’t it difficult to follow those choices considering his jetsetting lifestyle? He shrugs, “What we want to do, we do. If you like partying, even if you’ve had a really stressful day, you’ll party. In the same way, no matter how busy I am, I have to make time for exercise, meditation, and introspection. It’s automatic.”
Yash has previously said that his entire family — he has three children: two sons and a daughter — loves working out together. “If you lead a healthy life, everyone around you is encouraged to lead a healthy life,” he says, adding, “Fortunately, everyone in my family is interested in fitness, so we all end up in the gym at the same time. You can go to a restaurant to eat or watch a movie, but if you can develop a common passion for something that can benefit the family — nothing like it.”