‘ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS MAKE TIME’

... says Yash Birla, who shed his business suit to reveal a body and mind developed by a belief in himself

Mark Manuel I TNN

There are three Yash Birlas. The first is the Chairman of the Yash Birla Group of 20 companies, nine of which are listed entities, who goes to his Nariman Point office formally attired, drives a luxury car, attends business meetings. The second is the party animal, you see him on our Page 3, colourfully and sometimes crazily dressed, lovely wife Avanti on the arm, dancing like he’s intoxicated to house music. And the third is the Yash Birla I present to you here, the complete body and soul man, as much into pumping iron and building big muscles as he is into attending satsangs in Haridwar with kids Shloka, Vedant and Nirvan and spiritually walking the banks of the Ganges in search of nirvana. This Yash, few people even know of. He keeps this avatar of himself private. If you are not part of his core group, you have as much chance of seeing his body and knowing his mind as you have of, say, getting into his boardroom and bedroom.
I discovered him at the Birla House late one night. He had just finished his workout and was sipping a protein supplement, the body glistening with sweat from the effort of his training, every muscle rippling. That itself, I thought, was an inspiration and message to all working class wannabe gym rats who get out of exercising because they have “no time”. If the head honcho of a large business empire can make time even at 9 pm to keep in kickass shape, anybody can. But Yash also doesn’t drink, nor smoke, and he hates restaurant food. As for being “Page 3”... he admits he started trying to look good out of vanity... and he likes going to places to look at and meet interesting people and to be looked at in turn. “But I’m not the right person for the Page 3 tag,” he protests. “My ideal evening is at home, ghar ka khaana, perhaps coffee out with friends, the movie at the multiplex, the walk along Marine Drive.” Of the emerging body and evolving soul, he says, “What I believe in, what I propagate and follow, anybody can do at any age. Not much is required. All you have to do is make time. To be fit, you don’t necessarily have to do weight training, fitness is also yoga which can be done at home, spirituality is also meditation... an aspiration for satisfaction, getting in touch with yourself, discovering your true inner being, blissfulness comes when you get release from all mundane thoughts. It requires discipline, focus, to decide your own philosophy of life. But make the effort. It’s like brushing your teeth... make it a part of your daily routine. It can be done by anybody anywhere. Do what appeals to you with faith. Believe in destiny taking you to yourself. Be open...”
And it is this philosophy, this newfound passion for healthcare, that has taken Yash Birla beyond the corporate boardroom and into the wellness industry. Aside from his Yash Birla Group, he has initiated, invested and involved himself with Birla Wellness under which come ventures such as Evolve Medspa, Birla Kerala Vaidyashala and Birla Lifesciences with the Rebirth Stores & Spas and BirlaVeda innovative Ayurvedic formulations. “Everything we do at Birla Wellness is inspired by our enduring mission: to refresh the world… in body, mind, and spirit. To inspire moments of optimism… through our brands and our actions. And to create value and make a difference… everywhere we engage,” he says.
His Evolve Medspa is India’s first-of-its-kind chain offering scientific makeovers by renowned doctors specialising in cosmetic dermatology and surgery, and specialised dentistry; RAIH is the first of a proposed chain of hair and beauty salons; the Birla Kerala Vaidyashala treats lifestyle and chronic health disorders by ayurvedic medicines and oils; the Birla Wellness Store and the Spa Rebirth is a one-stop shop offering ‘Chant’ — a range of authentic natural products and services that invigorate the mind, body and soul, and ‘Nutrinext’ — a basket of health food products in contemporary formats, while the spa provides reflexology and other therapies customised to meet individual needs and health goals. “I set my own goals and am my own inspiration,” Yash Birla modestly says of this progress into wellness, “you may not achieve what you want, but if you really believe in something and want to do it, you can certainly achieve what you’re capable of...”