Aarti Pal’s journey from a modest household in Indore to becoming the first yogasana athlete recommended for the Arjuna Award is a powerful story of resilience, discipline, and belief in an unconventional path. Hailing from Madhya Pradesh, Aarti has emerged as India’s leading practitioner of competitive yogasana, recognised not just for her medals but for helping to place the sport firmly on the national sporting map.
Born into a family of limited means, Aarti grew up watching her father, Chhotelal Pal, work as a gardener to support six people. Financial hardship defined her early years, and like many young girls in similar circumstances, her future was uncertain. Sports that required infrastructure and funding were out of reach. Yoga changed everything.
Introduced to yoga at school in 2004 at age 13, Aarti discovered an immediate connection with asanas. What began as a school activity soon turned competitive, as she started participating in age-group events and winning medals. These early successes helped her family see yoga not just as a discipline, but as a lifeline. Scholarships and awards enabled her to continue her education, something that once seemed impossible.
Aarti’s academic journey in yoga is as remarkable as her sporting career. After completing her master’s degree in yoga education, she earned a PhD from Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University in Nagpur. Her doctoral research focused on the effect of yogic practices on the psychological development of young girls. She later taught at Savitribai Phule Pune University before joining the University of Patanjali in Haridwar, where she now teaches yoga science.
On the competitive front, Aarti has dominated at the national level, winning gold medals at the National Yogasana Championships every year since 2022. Her standing rose further after she won twin gold medals at the second Asian Yogasana Sport Championship earlier this year. These achievements cemented her status as a pioneer in a sport formally recognised by India’s sports ministry only a few years ago.
Aarti credits much of her success to her late coach, Atmaram Tiwari, who trained her for eight years, and to her current mentor, Jaideep Arya of Yogasana Bharat. She believes India has great potential in yogasana and hopes her recognition will inspire more young athletes, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds. She has been welcomed by the yogasana fraternity. Yogasana Bharat president Udit Sheth called it a landmark moment, expressing confidence that yogasana could soon be recognised on global platforms, including the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
Alongside Aarti, several other prominent athletes have also been recommended for the Arjuna Award this year. The final list, however, awaits ratification by the sports minister.
For Aarti Pal, the honour is more than personal recognition. It represents the culmination of a journey that began without resources or certainty, guided only by dedication and faith in yoga, a discipline that not only transformed her life but may now inspire a new generation of athletes across India.
