From Skeptic to Believer: How the World Yogasana Championship Changed My View of Yoga

For years, my father's advice never changed.

Whenever life became stressful, deadlines piled up, or exhaustion took over, his solution was remarkably simple: practice yoga.

Like many children who believe they know better than their parents, I rarely paid attention. Yoga seemed too slow, too quiet, and too detached from the fast-paced world I inhabited. As a sports journalist accustomed to the adrenaline of stadiums, roaring crowds, and high-pressure contests, yoga felt like the exact opposite of sport.

Then came June 2026.

After months of covering IPL action and preparing for the FIFA World Cup, fatigue had become a constant companion. What I needed was rest, not another sporting assignment.

Or so I thought.

An Unexpected Assignment

My visit to Ahmedabad for the World Yogasana Championship wasn't supposed to be a revelation.

It was simply another event on the calendar.

I expected disciplined athletes, impressive flexibility, and perhaps a few interesting stories about a sport still searching for mainstream recognition.

Instead, I found something far more intriguing.

I witnessed a movement trying to redefine itself.

When Yoga Becomes Sport

For generations, yoga has been associated with spirituality, wellness, and personal growth.

Yogasana, however, presents a different dimension.

At the championship, competitors displayed extraordinary balance, flexibility, strength, control, and concentration under the pressure of judges, audiences, and international competition.

Watching participants perform complex postures with precision made one thing clear: this was not merely exercise.

This was athletic performance.

The dedication required to compete at the highest level was evident in every movement.

Behind each pose were thousands of hours of practice, discipline, and sacrifice.

The Challenge of Recognition

Yet the biggest battle for Yogasana is not on the competition floor.

It is for legitimacy.

Many traditionalists argue that yoga should never become a competitive activity. Others believe turning it into a sport dilutes its spiritual roots.

Supporters counter that competition can introduce millions of young people to yoga and preserve its relevance in a rapidly changing world.

The debate is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.

What became apparent in Ahmedabad was that Yogasana is attempting to find a balance between heritage and modern sporting culture.

Whether it succeeds remains an open question.

Ahmedabad's Sporting Ambition

The championship also highlighted another story unfolding alongside Yogasana's rise.

Ahmedabad is positioning itself as one of India's premier sporting cities.

Over the past decade, the city has invested heavily in sports infrastructure, hosted major international events, and increasingly become a destination for competitions across multiple disciplines.

The World Yogasana Championship fit neatly into that larger vision.

Every venue, every volunteer, and every organizational detail reflected a city eager to prove that it belongs among India's leading sports hubs.

The Road to 2036

Much of the conversation surrounding Ahmedabad inevitably returns to one question: can it become a global sporting destination by 2036?

The answer depends on consistency.

Building infrastructure is one thing.

Building sporting culture is another.

Cities earn reputations through decades of hosting successful events, nurturing talent, and creating lasting sporting ecosystems.

Ahmedabad has made an impressive start, but the real test lies ahead.

Can Yogasana Stand the Test of Time?

The same question applies to Yogasana itself.

Many sports enjoy brief moments of popularity before fading from public attention.

For Yogasana to endure, it must develop:

• Strong grassroots participation
• Professional competition structures
• International recognition
• Sustainable athlete pathways
• Consistent audience engagement

The championship demonstrated that the potential exists.

The challenge will be maintaining momentum once the spotlight moves elsewhere.

Realising My Father Was Right

As the competition unfolded, I found myself reflecting on my father's advice.

Not because I suddenly wanted to become a yoga practitioner.

Not because I planned to replace football or cricket with meditation.

But because I finally understood what he had been trying to tell me.

In a world obsessed with speed, performance, and constant stimulation, there is value in stillness.

There is strength in control.

There is discipline in patience.

Ironically, those qualities were on display throughout the championship in a setting I had initially dismissed.

More Than Just a Sporting Event

The World Yogasana Championship was not merely about medals and rankings.

It was about identity.

For Yogasana, it was a chance to prove it can evolve without losing its roots.

For Ahmedabad, it was another opportunity to demonstrate its growing sporting ambitions.

For spectators like me, it was a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful lessons come from places we least expect.

The Verdict Awaits

Whether Yogasana becomes a globally recognized sport by 2036 remains uncertain.

Whether Ahmedabad emerges as India's definitive sports capital is also a question for the future.

But after spending time at the championship, one thing feels clear.

Both are attempting something ambitious.

And sometimes, ambition itself is worth watching.

Perhaps the true legacy of the World Yogasana Championship will not be measured by medals or attendance figures, but by whether it can convince more people—as it convinced me—that there is something genuinely powerful in combining ancient wisdom with modern sport.