&nbsp;What makes Indians meditate? According to a recent survey by meditation and mindfulness app ThinkRight.me, it is the pursuit of happiness, peace, and personal growth that keeps most Indians going in the meditatation sphere. 
 
 
 
 
 
Spanning 1,000 individuals between the age group of 18 to 60 years, across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Pune, the survey also cites stress management and better sleep as other key areas where meditation has helped individuals. From an app data perspective, almost 40 per cent of the users of ThinkRight.me meditated daily in 2020, spending a total of 2.64 billion minutes on the app in the entire year. 
 
The survey also revealed how meditation helps different age groups differently. Peace and happiness top the charts across all age groups -- and goes up as one grows older, as one in two people aged between 36-45 years meditate for peace and happiness compared to 1 in 5 among the 18-25 age group. 
 
The age bracket of 18-25 years and 46-55 years showed similar patterns; the quest for peace and happiness was followed by better sleep, personal growth, and stress management, in that order. 
 
When it comes to city-specific analysis, most women in Mumbai meditate to seek peace and personal growth, while Punekars and people in Bengaluru are in search of peace and happiness. 
 
Delhiites turn to meditation for better sleep and stress management. 
 
As per Rajan Navani, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of JetSynthesys, the company which owns the app,"India often tops the charts when it comes to studies on stress and anxiety. We launched ThinkRight.me two years back to make the benefits of meditation accessible to all. We are big believers of the power of thinking right, therefore the name, because our thoughts do guide how our day and life pan out. All the daily affirmations and guided meditation sessions on ThinkRight.me are born out of this core belief, and we hope to use these survey findings to make TRM an even more compelling proposition. With time, we also hope more people take to meditation and a more mindful way of life so collectively there`s a positive change in people`s overall mental and emotional well-being." 
 
The onset of 2020 brought with it Covid-19, a global pandemic which has been harsh on most individuals and the app data is proof of that reality. 
 
According to this platform with over 2 million downloads, the maximum traffic seen on the app was during the months of April 2020 to June 2020, during the Covid-19 induced lockdown, with daily active users increasing by 50 per cent coupled with a significant increase in subscriptions too. The daily positive affirmations followed by guided meditation offerings top the charts for what helped app users the most in 2020. 
 
&nbsp;

What makes Indians meditate? According to a recent survey by meditation and mindfulness app ThinkRight.me, it is the pursuit of happiness, peace, and personal growth that keeps most Indians going in the meditatation sphere.

What makes Indians meditate? According to a recent survey by meditation and mindfulness app ThinkRight.me, it is the pursuit of happiness, peace, and personal growth that keeps most Indians going in the meditatation sphere. Spanning 1,000 individuals between the age group of 18 to 60 years, across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Pune, the survey also cites stress management and better sleep as other key areas where meditation has helped individuals. From an app data perspective, almost 40 per cent of the users of ThinkRight.me meditated daily in 2020, spending a total of 2.64 billion minutes on the app in the entire year. The survey also revealed how meditation helps different age groups differently. Peace and happiness top the charts across all age groups -- and goes up as one grows older, as one in two people aged between 36-45 years meditate for peace and happiness compared to 1 in 5 among the 18-25 age group. The age bracket of 18-25 years and 46-55 years showed similar patterns; the quest for peace and happiness was followed by better sleep, personal growth, and stress management, in that order. When it comes to city-specific analysis, most women in Mumbai meditate to seek peace and personal growth, while Punekars and people in Bengaluru are in search of peace and happiness. Delhiites turn to meditation for better sleep and stress management. As per Rajan Navani, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of JetSynthesys, the company which owns the app,"India often tops the charts when it comes to studies on stress and anxiety. We launched ThinkRight.me two years back to make the benefits of meditation accessible to all. We are big believers of the power of thinking right, therefore the name, because our thoughts do guide how our day and life pan out. All the daily affirmations and guided meditation sessions on ThinkRight.me are born out of this core belief, and we hope to use these survey findings to make TRM an even more compelling proposition. With time, we also hope more people take to meditation and a more mindful way of life so collectively there`s a positive change in people`s overall mental and emotional well-being." The onset of 2020 brought with it Covid-19, a global pandemic which has been harsh on most individuals and the app data is proof of that reality. According to this platform with over 2 million downloads, the maximum traffic seen on the app was during the months of April 2020 to June 2020, during the Covid-19 induced lockdown, with daily active users increasing by 50 per cent coupled with a significant increase in subscriptions too. The daily positive affirmations followed by guided meditation offerings top the charts for what helped app users the most in 2020.

Meditation for happiness, peace goes up as one ages: Survey

If you wish to be happier in life, go travelling. As per the findings of a new study, frequent travellers are happier with their lives than people who don`t travel at all. The new study was published in the journal of Tourism Analysis. 
&nbsp;

Chun-Chu (Bamboo) Chen, an assistant professor in the School of Hospitality Business Management at Washington State University, conducted a survey to find out why some individuals travel more frequently than others and whether or not travel and tourism experiences have a prolonged effect on happiness and wellness. 
The results of his analysis show individuals who pay more attention to tourism-related information and frequently discuss their travel plans with friends are more likely to go on regular vacations than those who aren`t constantly thinking about their next trip. 
 
Additionally, participants in the survey who reported regularly travelling at least 75 miles away from home also reported being about 7 per cent happier when asked about their overall well-being than those who reported travelling very rarely or not at all."While things like work, family life and friends play a bigger role in overall reports of well-being, the accumulation of travel experiences does appear to have a small yet noticeable effect on self-reported life satisfaction," Chen said. "It really illustrates the importance of being able to get out of your routine and experience new things."Previous studies have examined the stress relief, health and wellness benefits of tourism experiences, but they have tended to examine the effect of a single trip or vacation. Chen`s research takes these previous studies one step further by looking at the sustained benefits of travel over the course of a year. 
 
Participants in the study were asked about the importance of travel in their lives, how much time they spent looking into and planning future vacations, and how many trips they went on over a year. They were also asked about their perceived life satisfaction. Out of the 500 survey participants, a little over half reported going on more than four pleasure trips a year. Only 7 per cent of respondents did not take any vacations. 
 
As travel restrictions due to COVID-19 begin to relax in the future, the research could have important implication for both tourists and the tourism industry. Based on the results of the study, Chen said travel companies, resorts and even airlines could launch social media campaigns, such as creating hashtags about the scientific benefits of vacation, to spark people`s interest in discussing their opinions about travel." 
 
This research shows the more people talk about and plan vacations the more likely they are to take them," he said. "If you are like me and chomping at the bit to get out of dodge and see someplace new, this research will hopefully be some additional good motivation to start planning your next vacation."&nbsp;

If you wish to be happier in life, go travelling. As per the findings of a new study, frequent travellers are happier with their lives than people who don`t travel at all.

If you wish to be happier in life, go travelling. As per the findings of a new study, frequent travellers are happier with their lives than people who don`t travel at all. The new study was published in the journal of Tourism Analysis. Chun-Chu (Bamboo) Chen, an assistant professor in the School of Hospitality Business Management at Washington State University, conducted a survey to find out why some individuals travel more frequently than others and whether or not travel and tourism experiences have a prolonged effect on happiness and wellness. The results of his analysis show individuals who pay more attention to tourism-related information and frequently discuss their travel plans with friends are more likely to go on regular vacations than those who aren`t constantly thinking about their next trip. Additionally, participants in the survey who reported regularly travelling at least 75 miles away from home also reported being about 7 per cent happier when asked about their overall well-being than those who reported travelling very rarely or not at all."While things like work, family life and friends play a bigger role in overall reports of well-being, the accumulation of travel experiences does appear to have a small yet noticeable effect on self-reported life satisfaction," Chen said. "It really illustrates the importance of being able to get out of your routine and experience new things."Previous studies have examined the stress relief, health and wellness benefits of tourism experiences, but they have tended to examine the effect of a single trip or vacation. Chen`s research takes these previous studies one step further by looking at the sustained benefits of travel over the course of a year. Participants in the study were asked about the importance of travel in their lives, how much time they spent looking into and planning future vacations, and how many trips they went on over a year. They were also asked about their perceived life satisfaction. Out of the 500 survey participants, a little over half reported going on more than four pleasure trips a year. Only 7 per cent of respondents did not take any vacations. As travel restrictions due to COVID-19 begin to relax in the future, the research could have important implication for both tourists and the tourism industry. Based on the results of the study, Chen said travel companies, resorts and even airlines could launch social media campaigns, such as creating hashtags about the scientific benefits of vacation, to spark people`s interest in discussing their opinions about travel." This research shows the more people talk about and plan vacations the more likely they are to take them," he said. "If you are like me and chomping at the bit to get out of dodge and see someplace new, this research will hopefully be some additional good motivation to start planning your next vacation."

Study suggests frequent travellers 7 percent happier than those who don't travel

"Money can't buy you happiness" might be an old cliché, but according to a new study in the United States which looked at correlation between income and happiness has concluded that more money brings in greater happiness.

The results of the study conducted among 30 years and older in the United States found a growing class divide among Americans with regard to "happiness".

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/english-tv-commentary-across-leagues-shows-racial-bias-study-claims-309591">Also Read:&nbsp;English TV commentary across leagues shows racial bias, study claims</a>

The study published in a journal named Emotion found that happiness among whites with no college degree had declined since the 1970s while it had stayed the same for whites with a college degree while for blacks in America it has stayed the same with no college education, the level of happiness, however, has increased for blacks with a college degree.

The research found that people in the higher income bracket were happier although it found no evidence that "happiness" fades after an income level.

The study concluded that the decreasing ability to pay for higher education, rising inequality and rising real estate prices has had a direct impact&nbsp;on income and happiness.

The Emotion study has been underway since 1972 under the title: expanding class divide in happiness in the United States. It is one of the longest-running surveys in the United States which has studied the behaviour of over 44,000 participants from 1972 to 2016.

"Money can't buy you happiness" might be an old cliché, but according to a new study in the United States which looked at correlation between income and happiness has concluded that more money brings in greater happiness.

"Money can't buy you happiness" might be an old cliché, but according to a new study in the United States which looked at correlation between income and happiness has concluded that more money brings in greater happiness. The results of the study conducted among 30 years and older in the United States found a growing class divide among Americans with regard to "happiness". Also Read: English TV commentary across leagues shows racial bias, study claims The study published in a journal named Emotion found that happiness among whites with no college degree had declined since the 1970s while it had stayed the same for whites with a college degree while for blacks in America it has stayed the same with no college education, the level of happiness, however, has increased for blacks with a college degree. The research found that people in the higher income bracket were happier although it found no evidence that "happiness" fades after an income level. The study concluded that the decreasing ability to pay for higher education, rising inequality and rising real estate prices has had a direct impact on income and happiness. The Emotion study has been underway since 1972 under the title: expanding class divide in happiness in the United States. It is one of the longest-running surveys in the United States which has studied the behaviour of over 44,000 participants from 1972 to 2016.

More money brings greater happiness, says US study

Citizens relax at Happiness areas in Delhi

The phrase ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’ may just have a deeper meaning than one would think.&nbsp; 
 
Work-related stress has been a pressing issue for decades and, surprisingly, not many people really make an effort towards addressing the matter.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A survey conducted by Cigna TTK Health Insurance this year indicated that 79 per cent Indians do not feel the need to or feel comfortable talking to a medical professional about stress. &nbsp;

Stress levels are high in India compared with other developed and emerging countries, including the US, the UK, Germany, France, China, Brazil and Indonesia, according to the 2018 Cigna 360° Well-Being survey. &nbsp;

About 89 per cent population in India admitted that they are suffering from stress compared to the global average of 86 per cent. It appears alarming that the majority of those respondents were millennials. &nbsp;

How to know you are stressed?&nbsp;

Most respondents in the Cigna TTK Health Insurance survey believed work and finances to be their source of constant worry. &nbsp;

But there are many sources of stress – small or big – sometimes you may not even understand the cause of stress. &nbsp;

“In urban professional life, whether employed or self-employed, there are external and internal sources of stress. External sources include family dynamics, parenting struggles, relationship stress, financial security, commuting, deadline pressure, information overload, sub-optimal health, office politics,” explains R Anand, author of recently published book “Happiness at work” and senior vice president (human resources) at HCL Technologies. &nbsp;

Some internal sources of stress are - fear of harm to self, fear of harm to near and dear ones, fear of falling short, feeling excluded, being bullied, subjected to unwanted attention, bitterness and regret about the past.

Our internal modes are a product of our early history and the first map we made of our self and the world, Anand says. &nbsp;

“We tend to stick to this map and see everything in its light. This is an understandable shortcut and instinct when we were helpless and desperate children needing other people to survive. However, we carry this baggage too long after the rationale for it has perished.”&nbsp;

“These biases are unconscious to us. Our helpless selves had buried this deep in our unconscious to overcome the immediate and overwhelming anxieties we were beset with. This is why these unconscious processes drive us significantly but we are unable to recognise the magnitude of their manipulations,” Anand unravels. &nbsp;

Decision making under stress&nbsp;

Stress plays a major role in decision making – be it every day or major professional and personal choices. Many decisions are made under stress, and many decision situations elicit stress responses themselves. Thus, stress and decision making are intricately connected, not only on the behavioural level but also on the neural level.&nbsp;

All of us, just by being human, distort the way we perceive and decide. &nbsp;

The field of behavioural economics has documented these distortions very well. For example, all of us are loss averse and some are much more than others. We would forego opportunities so that we don't take the risk and exaggerated pain of a loss. &nbsp;

When we are stressed and need to make a decision, we are more likely to bear in mind things that have been rewarding and to oversee information predicting negative consequences.&nbsp;

“We also confuse the intensity of the event with the frequency of the event. If an event has large consequences, we somehow tell ourselves that it must occur often. This way the big worries drive us crazy, even though they are improbable,” Anand says. &nbsp;

Happiness – finding the meaning and finding ‘it’&nbsp;

We know that stress is linked to physical and emotional problems, strained relationships, and serious mental health issues. But stress also affects health, well-being and happiness. And when we are unhappy, we often become disengaged, cynical, and toxic to others.&nbsp;

Many people fall for the ‘follow this and everything will be okay’ advice. What many do not talk about is actually finding happiness within oneself. Moreover, happiness, as a subject, has not been studied thoroughly. &nbsp;

There’s a lot of philosophical debate over what it actually means to “be happy,” but if you’re looking for concrete answers, it can leave you wanting. We all know what it feels like to be happy, but the actual source of our happiness has always been hard to pinpoint.&nbsp;

“Happiness is a shallow word used for lots of things. The Eskimos had 350 words for snow! Our words to describe happiness, by contrast, does not even scratch the surface of the many nuances that are possible.” R Anand says. &nbsp;

“Contrast this with the vocabulary for happiness in Tamil - Sugam (like sun on skin in winter), Santhosham (feeling happy), Sowkhyam (I’ve got what I need and in fact a bit more), Trupti (feeling satiated in a higher order manner, it is happiness with a connotation of feeling complete), Negizhchi (when your children do well or when someone praises them), Magizhchi (a childlike happiness at receiving an applause or after being artistically entertained),” he further elucidates. &nbsp;

Finland tops the global happiness index, according to the World Happiness Report 2018, closely followed by Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland and the Netherlands.&nbsp;

But some of the world’s richest nations, including the US and Japan, are found much further down the list. Although the US ranks highly for per capita income, it is only ranked 18th out of 156 countries, substantially below most comparably wealthy nations. Subsequently, it may be true for some that wealth can lead to happiness but on a broader perspective – it doesn’t. It is possible to own many possessions, yet still be unfulfilled. That is because you may be lacking happiness and contentment with your own life.&nbsp;

Then again, a great number of people apparently have given up on happiness in this life over a learned or conditioned mentality of scarcity, sacrifice or resignation. The attitude to push away and degrade happiness as a form of selfishness, self-preoccupation and uncaring for others is predominant for many. Since happiness is so elusive for lots of people, some simply find it easier and more expedient to place their focus on their daily travails and challenges.&nbsp;

Attaining well-being – the tools &nbsp;

"You do not need ‘sign-up’ programmes to help you get there. One can achieve happiness, higher emotional, mental fitness through self-analysis and mindfulness," Anand advises. &nbsp;

"One can use analysis of our errors and inadvertencies, analysis of our transaction patterns with others and analysis of our dreams to uncover the long-buried sub-conscious hangovers. Once uncovered and when we non-judgmentally accept these parts of ourselves, we begin to heal and they cease to have the same hold on us,” Anand suggests. &nbsp;

“This non-judgmental awareness of ourselves if we are to incorporate frequently and then permanently as a mode of being, we would become mindful. Similarly, if we are able to use tools like meditation to examine the filters with which we process the world, to create space between ourselves and our reactions, we build on this clarity a fine edifice of well-being,” he further proposes. &nbsp;

Other lifestyle practices, hobbies, social associations, the balance between boredom and excitement, physical health - all take us to emotional and psychological well-being. &nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The phrase ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’ may just have a deeper meaning than one would think. Work-related stress has been a pressing issue for decades and, surprisingly, not many people really make an effort towards addressing the matter.

The phrase ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’ may just have a deeper meaning than one would think. Work-related stress has been a pressing issue for decades and, surprisingly, not many people really make an effort towards addressing the matter. A survey conducted by Cigna TTK Health Insurance this year indicated that 79 per cent Indians do not feel the need to or feel comfortable talking to a medical professional about stress. Stress levels are high in India compared with other developed and emerging countries, including the US, the UK, Germany, France, China, Brazil and Indonesia, according to the 2018 Cigna 360° Well-Being survey. About 89 per cent population in India admitted that they are suffering from stress compared to the global average of 86 per cent. It appears alarming that the majority of those respondents were millennials. How to know you are stressed? Most respondents in the Cigna TTK Health Insurance survey believed work and finances to be their source of constant worry. But there are many sources of stress – small or big – sometimes you may not even understand the cause of stress. “In urban professional life, whether employed or self-employed, there are external and internal sources of stress. External sources include family dynamics, parenting struggles, relationship stress, financial security, commuting, deadline pressure, information overload, sub-optimal health, office politics,” explains R Anand, author of recently published book “Happiness at work” and senior vice president (human resources) at HCL Technologies. Some internal sources of stress are - fear of harm to self, fear of harm to near and dear ones, fear of falling short, feeling excluded, being bullied, subjected to unwanted attention, bitterness and regret about the past. Our internal modes are a product of our early history and the first map we made of our self and the world, Anand says. “We tend to stick to this map and see everything in its light. This is an understandable shortcut and instinct when we were helpless and desperate children needing other people to survive. However, we carry this baggage too long after the rationale for it has perished.” “These biases are unconscious to us. Our helpless selves had buried this deep in our unconscious to overcome the immediate and overwhelming anxieties we were beset with. This is why these unconscious processes drive us significantly but we are unable to recognise the magnitude of their manipulations,” Anand unravels. Decision making under stress Stress plays a major role in decision making – be it every day or major professional and personal choices. Many decisions are made under stress, and many decision situations elicit stress responses themselves. Thus, stress and decision making are intricately connected, not only on the behavioural level but also on the neural level. All of us, just by being human, distort the way we perceive and decide.  The field of behavioural economics has documented these distortions very well. For example, all of us are loss averse and some are much more than others. We would forego opportunities so that we don't take the risk and exaggerated pain of a loss. When we are stressed and need to make a decision, we are more likely to bear in mind things that have been rewarding and to oversee information predicting negative consequences. “We also confuse the intensity of the event with the frequency of the event. If an event has large consequences, we somehow tell ourselves that it must occur often. This way the big worries drive us crazy, even though they are improbable,” Anand says. Happiness – finding the meaning and finding ‘it’ We know that stress is linked to physical and emotional problems, strained relationships, and serious mental health issues. But stress also affects health, well-being and happiness. And when we are unhappy, we often become disengaged, cynical, and toxic to others. Many people fall for the ‘follow this and everything will be okay’ advice. What many do not talk about is actually finding happiness within oneself. Moreover, happiness, as a subject, has not been studied thoroughly. There’s a lot of philosophical debate over what it actually means to “be happy,” but if you’re looking for concrete answers, it can leave you wanting. We all know what it feels like to be happy, but the actual source of our happiness has always been hard to pinpoint. “Happiness is a shallow word used for lots of things. The Eskimos had 350 words for snow! Our words to describe happiness, by contrast, does not even scratch the surface of the many nuances that are possible.” R Anand says. “Contrast this with the vocabulary for happiness in Tamil - Sugam (like sun on skin in winter), Santhosham (feeling happy), Sowkhyam (I’ve got what I need and in fact a bit more), Trupti (feeling satiated in a higher order manner, it is happiness with a connotation of feeling complete), Negizhchi (when your children do well or when someone praises them), Magizhchi (a childlike happiness at receiving an applause or after being artistically entertained),” he further elucidates. Finland tops the global happiness index, according to the World Happiness Report 2018, closely followed by Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland and the Netherlands. But some of the world’s richest nations, including the US and Japan, are found much further down the list. Although the US ranks highly for per capita income, it is only ranked 18th out of 156 countries, substantially below most comparably wealthy nations. Subsequently, it may be true for some that wealth can lead to happiness but on a broader perspective – it doesn’t. It is possible to own many possessions, yet still be unfulfilled. That is because you may be lacking happiness and contentment with your own life. Then again, a great number of people apparently have given up on happiness in this life over a learned or conditioned mentality of scarcity, sacrifice or resignation. The attitude to push away and degrade happiness as a form of selfishness, self-preoccupation and uncaring for others is predominant for many. Since happiness is so elusive for lots of people, some simply find it easier and more expedient to place their focus on their daily travails and challenges. Attaining well-being – the tools "You do not need ‘sign-up’ programmes to help you get there. One can achieve happiness, higher emotional, mental fitness through self-analysis and mindfulness," Anand advises. "One can use analysis of our errors and inadvertencies, analysis of our transaction patterns with others and analysis of our dreams to uncover the long-buried sub-conscious hangovers. Once uncovered and when we non-judgmentally accept these parts of ourselves, we begin to heal and they cease to have the same hold on us,” Anand suggests. “This non-judgmental awareness of ourselves if we are to incorporate frequently and then permanently as a mode of being, we would become mindful. Similarly, if we are able to use tools like meditation to examine the filters with which we process the world, to create space between ourselves and our reactions, we build on this clarity a fine edifice of well-being,” he further proposes. Other lifestyle practices, hobbies, social associations, the balance between boredom and excitement, physical health - all take us to emotional and psychological well-being. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Blog: Beating stress and seeking happiness

Troops of the BSF, country's largest border guarding force, will now undertake a "mandatory" test that will analyse the state of their happiness and wellbeing before deployment along the borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, and in anti-Naxal operations.

The forces' headquarters here has prepared a multi-point wellness quotient assessment test (WQAT) tool that helps "identify stress precipitators and physical and mental health issues that need interventions."

"The WQAT is a special tool designed to understand the happiness quotient and mental wellbeing of an individual and this has now been made a compulsory part of the annual medical test for the troops," a recent directive issued by the force, accessed by PTI, says.

The new policy measure has been introduced by BSF Director General (DG) K K Sharma after he got a major research project conducted by UK-based experts with the help of force Inspector General (IG) Satwant A Trivedi, to analyse various triggers behind suicides and other stress factors suffered by troops and their possible solutions.

The force has also published a 62-page booklet titled 'Happiness and Health: Endeavour towards holistic well being' chronicling the new standard operating procedures (SoPs) for undertaking physical, psychological and socio-economic interventions, and ways to address the grievances and overall health issues of the about 2.5 lakh personnel strong paramilitary force.

"Research provides evidence to indicate that all such cases (of stress), if cared for, at the right time can take a turn towards mend. Valuable human resource needs to be nurtured carefully," Sharma wrote in the booklet that was unveiled by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday.

In this series, the Gujarat frontier of the force has also launched a 'Ghar ki Baat' initiative in which troops, on a fixed day of the week, gather at border posts along the India-Pakistan frontier and share their personal as well as professional problems.

This plan, a senior official said, will only be replicated at other forward locations of the force once the Gujarat experiment is found successful as not every person is willing to share his or her problem publicly.

The supervisory commanders of the force have been directed to undertake a number of other intervention techniques like interviewing the jawan as soon as he is back from leave.

"This exercise is seen as routine at times due to lack of interest of senior officers but it will help the commanding officer know about the various issues being faced by a jawan both at their homes and professional front," the new SoPs say in the booklet.

"Due to adherence of chain of command in making representation through proper channel, grievance redressal becomes more time taking," they say.

"More emphasis on informal interaction by superior commanders and creating more awareness on the availability of various channels for airing grievances, including through help-line numbers and others should be done," the SoPs say.

They also ask field commanders to undertake yoga, meditation, counselling and have a buddy system (one person responsible for the other) to check stress amongst the personnel.&nbsp

Talking about steps to prevent suicides, the new SOPs state that supervisory officers and fellow personnel should avoid "sermonising, arguing, giving advice or telling such a person to 'forget about it'", and instead should engage the individual and also deny him access to firearms.

As per official data, a total of 173 BSF personnel have committed suicide in the last five years, while over a dozen such deaths have happened this year.

These figures are much more than operational deaths in the line of duty, that took place during the same period.

The BSF jawans are deployed for long stints in inhospitable and harsh climate areas along the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders, where they cannot keep their families for years together and all these factors contribute to complaints of stress and fatigue among them.&nbsp

The force has also published a 62-page booklet titled 'Happiness and Health: Endeavour towards holistic well being'.

Troops of the BSF, country's largest border guarding force, will now undertake a "mandatory" test that will analyse the state of their happiness and wellbeing before deployment along the borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, and in anti-Naxal operations. The forces' headquarters here has prepared a multi-point wellness quotient assessment test (WQAT) tool that helps "identify stress precipitators and physical and mental health issues that need interventions." "The WQAT is a special tool designed to understand the happiness quotient and mental wellbeing of an individual and this has now been made a compulsory part of the annual medical test for the troops," a recent directive issued by the force, accessed by PTI, says. The new policy measure has been introduced by BSF Director General (DG) K K Sharma after he got a major research project conducted by UK-based experts with the help of force Inspector General (IG) Satwant A Trivedi, to analyse various triggers behind suicides and other stress factors suffered by troops and their possible solutions. The force has also published a 62-page booklet titled 'Happiness and Health: Endeavour towards holistic well being' chronicling the new standard operating procedures (SoPs) for undertaking physical, psychological and socio-economic interventions, and ways to address the grievances and overall health issues of the about 2.5 lakh personnel strong paramilitary force. "Research provides evidence to indicate that all such cases (of stress), if cared for, at the right time can take a turn towards mend. Valuable human resource needs to be nurtured carefully," Sharma wrote in the booklet that was unveiled by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday. In this series, the Gujarat frontier of the force has also launched a 'Ghar ki Baat' initiative in which troops, on a fixed day of the week, gather at border posts along the India-Pakistan frontier and share their personal as well as professional problems. This plan, a senior official said, will only be replicated at other forward locations of the force once the Gujarat experiment is found successful as not every person is willing to share his or her problem publicly. The supervisory commanders of the force have been directed to undertake a number of other intervention techniques like interviewing the jawan as soon as he is back from leave. "This exercise is seen as routine at times due to lack of interest of senior officers but it will help the commanding officer know about the various issues being faced by a jawan both at their homes and professional front," the new SoPs say in the booklet. "Due to adherence of chain of command in making representation through proper channel, grievance redressal becomes more time taking," they say. "More emphasis on informal interaction by superior commanders and creating more awareness on the availability of various channels for airing grievances, including through help-line numbers and others should be done," the SoPs say. They also ask field commanders to undertake yoga, meditation, counselling and have a buddy system (one person responsible for the other) to check stress amongst the personnel. Talking about steps to prevent suicides, the new SOPs state that supervisory officers and fellow personnel should avoid "sermonising, arguing, giving advice or telling such a person to 'forget about it'", and instead should engage the individual and also deny him access to firearms. As per official data, a total of 173 BSF personnel have committed suicide in the last five years, while over a dozen such deaths have happened this year. These figures are much more than operational deaths in the line of duty, that took place during the same period. The BSF jawans are deployed for long stints in inhospitable and harsh climate areas along the India-Pakistan and India-Bangladesh borders, where they cannot keep their families for years together and all these factors contribute to complaints of stress and fatigue among them.

Jawans are happy or not, BSF will test

happiness

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