India Mandates ‘Sagar Mein Yog’ Wellness Course For All Seafarers Through New Digital Learning Platform

India has made a new wellness training programme mandatory for all Indian seafarers and maritime cadets, introducing a digital learning platform aimed at improving their physical, mental and emotional well-being throughout their careers.

The Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA), under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, has launched the “Sagar Mein Yog” (SMY) initiative through a dedicated Learning Management System (LMS).

The programme will be compulsory for all Indian seafarers holding a valid Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) as well as students enrolled at Directorate General of Shipping (DGS)-approved Maritime Training Institutes (MTIs).

According to DGS Training Circular No. 33 of 2026, all Indian seafarers must complete the course within one year from the date the circular was issued. The course will be available free of charge.

The DGMA said the initiative is intended to improve the overall wellness, resilience, mental well-being and quality of life of Indian seafarers through a structured learning programme.

It follows the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention, the STCW Rules 2014, the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, Maritime India Vision 2030 and the government’s Amrit Kal Vision 2047.

The Directorate said the programme also aims to make wellness, behavioural preparedness and preventive well-being a regular part of India’s maritime training system.

The initiative follows DGS Circular No. 27 of 2026, issued on May 20, 2026, which introduced the standardised “Sagar Mein Yog” syllabus at approved pre-sea maritime training institutes.

According to the DGMA, seafarers face several challenges during their careers, including long periods at sea, separation from their families, demanding work conditions, multicultural crews, fatigue, stress and changing operational responsibilities.

The “Sagar Mein Yog” programme has been designed to help seafarers manage these challenges by promoting physical fitness, mental clarity, emotional resilience, mindfulness and overall well-being.

The Directorate said the initiative also adapts traditional yoga practices for the maritime sector as part of India’s efforts to promote yoga globally.

The programme is delivered through the LMS-SMY platform, which allows users to complete the modules at their own pace. The platform includes participation tracking, assessments and automatic certificate generation after successful completion.

The DGMA said the LMS will support seafarers at every stage of their careers, including pre-sea, at-sea and post-sea. It is also integrated with the DG Shipping digital ecosystem, including the eNavik Seafarer Profile System, where each seafarer’s course completion status will be linked to their INDoS number.

The circular states that all students enrolled in DGS-approved Maritime Training Institutes must complete the programme before graduating. It also applies to every Indian seafarer holding a valid CDC.

Maritime Training Institutes, shipping companies, Recruitment and Placement Service Licence (RPSL) agencies and seafarer unions have been asked to inform seafarers about the new requirement.

After completing the prescribed modules and assessments, users will receive a digital certificate through the LMS platform. Seafarers have been advised to download and keep the certificate for future verification and institutional requirements.

Ten Wellness Modules

The programme is built around ten areas of wellness:

• Emotional Wellness
• Economic Wellness
• Physical Wellness
• Occupational Wellness
• Social Wellness
• Environmental Wellness
• Climatic Wellness
• Intellectual Wellness
• Cultural Wellness
• Spiritual Wellness

According to the DGMA, these modules are intended to support the physical, emotional, mental and professional well-being of seafarers throughout their maritime careers.

Learning Materials

The “Sagar Mein Yog” learning system includes a curriculum booklet explaining the syllabus, learning outcomes and practical activities across all ten wellness areas.

It also includes ten audio-visual training videos of about 20 minutes each and 43 PowerPoint presentations developed as supporting learning material.

Seafarers will access the programme through the LMS, which combines videos, presentations, interactive learning, real-life scenarios, quizzes and assessments before users move to the next stage.

According to information released about the programme, “Sagar Mein Yog” has been developed under the leadership of the Government of India, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, and Director General of Shipping Shyam Jagannathan, in collaboration with the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) and Trijog – Know Your Mind.

The DGMA has instructed all users to follow the operational guidance provided in the LMS user manual. The circular was issued with the approval of the Director General of Shipping.

Reference: dgma