The Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalay has claimed that one of its students has set a new record by performing the Yogic exercise of Sheershasan (head-stand) and maintaining the position without break for 134 minutes. According to information provided by the university officials, this heady achievement was achieved by Chanchal Suryavanshi who is presently studying for his MSc degree at the Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalay, Shantikunj in Haridwar. The youth made his successful attempt in the prayer hall of the university, where he performed the Yogic headstand- Sheerashasan under the observation of senior university officials including Chinmay Pandya and Dr Gyaneshwar Mishra (MD) who provided for the medical supervision of Suryavanshi during his attempt to maintain the yogic posture for a prolonged time period.
The son of a farmer in Baitul, Madhya Pradesh, Suryavanshi has been studying in the university since the year 2012. He has been practicing Sheerashasan since then. According to the university officials, Suryavanshi was inspired to undertake the attempt by another student of the university Aditya Prakash who had been able to maintain the Sheerashasan posture for a time period of 60 minutes during the previous year. Motivated by Prakash’s feat, he continued his efforts increasing the duration of his maintaining of the Sheeerashasan posture. He had been average student in school and initially took to playing chess in order to improve his memory. Under the guidance of an uncle, he chose the Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalay to advance in the sphere of Yoga. During his time in the university he came to learn that yoga and Dhyan are considered to be best methods for improving the power of memory. Since then Suryavanshi gradually worked to increase the duration of him maintaining the Sheerashasan. His diet consists of the food served in the canteen of the university and he avoids eating outside or consuming fast food.
The university pro vice chancellor Dr Chinmay Pandya under whose medical supervision, the 132 hour long Sheerashasan attempt was made checked Suryavanshi after he ended his posture. He checked the blood pressure, heart beat and other aspects of the youngster who had maintained a headstand position for more than 100 hours. The physical parameters checked showed that they had remained normal and in some time after concluding his postural attempt, he resumed his daily routine work. Suryavanshi, who wants to conduct research work in Yoga to take it in a scientific manner to all in the future, expressed his gratitude to his coach and Yoga teacher Dr Sunil Yadav and the head of the university’s Yoga department, Dr Suresh Varnwal.