Exclusive: Entrepreneur Nirvaan Birla on the healing power of yoga and music
On the occasion of International Yoga and Music Day, Nirvaan Birla spoke to us about the role of stillness and sound in a fast-paced world. Blending breathwork with beats and spirituality with self-awareness, the entrepreneur reflects on how yoga and music have become guiding forces in his personal evolution, creative expression, and leadership philosophy.
Yoga seems to be a meaningful ritual for you and your family. Can you share what your weekly sessions look like and how they impact your personal and professional life?
Yoga has always been more than exercise for me. It’s become a family ritual. We practice together every week, and that space helps us reconnect, not just with ourselves, but with each other. It brings a calm that cuts through the chaos of everyday life. Professionally, it sharpens how I show up. I’m more grounded, more patient, and more intentional. It’s not about flexibility or performance. It’s about presence. That sense of being fully in the moment is something no boardroom ever taught me.
You’ve spoken about the role of breathwork and meditation in helping you find clarity. How do these practices support you as a business leader and creative thinker?
Breathwork and meditation help me pause, and that pause is powerful. In business, we’re constantly reacting, deciding, strategising. But real clarity doesn’t come from running faster; it comes from slowing down. These practices give me space to reflect, breathe, and make decisions with more intention. As a creative thinker too, I’ve noticed that ideas come more freely when I’m centered. It’s not about doing more. It’s about creating from a place that’s quiet, aware, and honest. That’s what breathwork helps unlock.
In today’s fast-paced world, how can young people incorporate yoga as more than just a fitness trend?
Start with five minutes a day. No music, no phone, no filters. Just sit and breathe. App like the Art of Living is a great starting point, but don’t make tech your only source. Inner clarity comes when you choose stillness over stimulation. Yoga isn’t about poses or how it looks on Instagram. It’s about how honestly you show up for yourself. When you strip it down, yoga gives you a moment to pause in a world that’s always pushing you to move. And that moment is everything.
Tell us about the satsangs you host at home. How did they begin, and what role does music play in these gatherings?
Music is my anchor, and satsangs are where that anchor really holds. Whether I’m creating a track like Alvida or just hosting people in my living room, the intent is always the same. To express what words alone can’t. Music in satsangs isn’t entertainment. It’s emotion! It’s how we connect, heal, and reflect. These gatherings started with a small circle, but they’ve become a space where people can just be. The music holds that space for them, and for me too.
Mindfulness is trending nowadays, but you’re integrating it into education. How do you teach kids to ‘pause’ in a world that’s always scrolling?
We teach kids to pause by teaching them to breathe. It sounds simple, but in today’s world, even one mindful breath is a radical act. Instead of asking them to stop using tech, we give them tools to reflect and slow down. Breathwork, quiet moments, small rituals of stillness. It’s not about controlling their environment; it’s about helping them find peace within it. In a world that tells them to scroll faster and louder, we’re teaching them to pause, and that pause can change everything.
If you could design the perfect 10-minute school ‘mindful break’, what would it include?
Ten minutes is all it takes. I’d start with breathwork. Just a few conscious inhales and exhales to centre yourself. Then maybe a moment of silence, where kids can simply sit with themselves. No phones, no noise. Just awareness. And if possible, a short gratitude reflection: “What’s one thing you’re thankful for right now?” That’s it. These three things — breath, silence, and gratitude — are simple, but they create space in the mind. And that space helps kids reset before going back into the rush.
Your spiritual album is in the works. If it had to carry just one message for the listener’s soul, what would that be?
The message would be simple: be real. Feel everything. Heal at your own pace. This album isn’t about preaching or perfection. It’s about holding space for the stuff we carry inside. If even one person listens to a track and feels a little less alone, then the purpose is served. Music can say what words can’t. This album is about giving those feelings a voice — raw, honest, and hopefully comforting.
Can you give us a glimpse into your spiritual album and what we can expect from this project?
This album is a reflection of everything I’ve been feeling but couldn’t say out loud. It’s rooted in my spiritual journey, but it’s not “preachy.” It’s music for anyone who’s ever felt lost, tired, or just emotionally full. You’ll find space in it. Space to pause, to reflect, to heal. The intention is not to impress, but to express. It’s about realness. You won’t hear manufactured sounds. You’ll hear heart, rhythm, and reflection.
What’s your take on modern devotional music? Can bhajans and beats coexist?
Absolutely. Bhajans and beats can coexist. It’s not about format, it’s about feeling. Devotion isn’t limited to traditional sounds. If a modern track carries the same sincerity and intent as a classic bhajan, why not blend them? Today’s generation doesn’t need spiritual music to sound old. They need it to feel real. And if a beat helps someone connect deeper with themselves, that’s devotion too. There’s space for both, and it’s exciting to be part of that shift.
If you had to gift one song to someone going through emotional pain, what would it be and why?
I’d gift them, Alvida. That song holds space for grief, for letting go, for those feelings we don’t always know how to express. It wasn’t created to fix anything. It was created to feel. When someone’s going through emotional pain, advice can feel like noise. But a song like Alvida lets you sit with your emotions and release them. It’s music that allows you to feel without judgment. Sometimes, that’s the most healing thing you can give someone — space to feel seen and safe.
