IAS Veera Raghava, a 2007-batch Tamil Nadu cadre officer and currently Secretary to the Government, Labour Welfare & Skill Development, spends his weekdays shaping policies around work, skills, and livelihoods. But on select weekends, his world shifts from files and meetings to swim lanes, cycling tracks, and long, punishing runs.
Not because he is chasing medals. Not because he wants headlines. But because, as he puts it simply, “My mind wanted to finish. That was enough.”
AN ACCIDENTAL BEGINNING AT A HALF MARATHON
The journey did not begin with a grand plan or professional coaching. Somewhere between 2016 and 2018, while serving in the field, Veera Raghava was invited as a chief guest to inaugurate a marathon event. During a casual conversation, organisers asked him why he didn’t participate himself.
At that point, he had no serious running background. But the idea stayed.
“I had about 45 days of practice. Not much. Still, I completed the half marathon only with my mind,” he shared in an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds.
Completing 21 kilometres planted a new thought: if the mind could carry him this far, what more was possible with better preparation?
FROM HALF MARATHON TO THE IRONMAN THOUGHT
The leap from running to triathlon was not immediate. Administrative responsibilities took priority. Then came a turning point when he took charge as Secretary in the Labour Department, a role closely linked with sports and physical wellbeing.
That’s when the idea surfaced again: not just a marathon, but an Ironman-format triathlon.
“A marathon is one thing. Triathlon is different. But I thought, let me try,” he says.
It was a bold decision, especially considering he did not follow a structured triathlon training plan.
TRAINING WITHOUT TRAINING
Contrary to what one might expect, Veera Raghava did not suddenly carve out hours for swimming drills or long cycling rides.
“To be frank, I did not practise much specifically for this event,” he admits.
Instead, his preparation rested on decades of fitness habits. Yoga from the age of eight. Daily Surya Namaskar. Regular walking and running whenever time allowed. Martial arts, including karate. Swimming, badminton, and silambam, the traditional Tamil martial art.
Mornings were simple: light exercise, Surya Namaskar, and sometimes jogging or walking. Evenings usually meant a walk. No rigid schedule. No obsession. Just awareness.
“If I feel my fitness is going down, I become a little vigorous and bring it back,” he explains.
CYCLING, CRAMPS, AND A CRUCIAL PAUSE
Among swimming, cycling, and running, cycling proved to be the toughest segment.
“I didn’t have much practice in cycling. That was difficult,” he says candidly.
Mid-race, cramps hit. For a brief moment, the body pushed back.
“I took a deep breath. Managed. Then it became normal.”
There was no dramatic internal dialogue about winning or rankings. His goal was modest but firm: finish the race.
“I was not trying competitive racing. I just wanted to complete it.”
RECOVERY: SLOW, HONEST, AND PATIENT
The aftermath was physically demanding. Pain lingered for a day, especially in the legs. Recovery stretched over weeks.
“It took about 45 days for me to come back fully,” he says.
During this period, he returned to what he trusts most: yoga, breathing exercises, and slow routines. Surya Namaskar remained central.
FOUR DECADES OF FITNESS, ONE CONSISTENT IDEA
Veera Raghava’s relationship with fitness goes back to childhood. As a schoolboy, he wasn’t particularly strong at games. Yoga became his entry point. He even led his class during yoga sessions.
Later, while studying engineering at VR Siddhartha Engineering College in Andhra Pradesh, he consciously worked on what he felt he had missed earlier. Over four years, he trained seriously in karate and earned a black belt.
Fitness stayed with him through every posting, as Collector in Thiruvallur, then Madurai, where he joined public yoga events, marathons, and government employee sports programmes.
“Sports give discipline. Not just academics,” he often tells students.
MENTAL FITNESS IS THE REAL RACE
For Veera Raghava, the triathlon was less about physical limits and more about mental clarity.
“This event was more about mental confidence. My body was tired, but my mind wanted to finish,” he told Indian Masterminds.
Meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga help him handle fatigue and doubt, not only in sport but in administration.
“If I give up here, the next step will not be possible,” he thought during the race.
So he didn’t.
INSPIRING WITHOUT PREACHING
He does not describe himself as a motivator, yet his actions quietly influence colleagues, students, and citizens. Whether it’s joining government sports events or encouraging children to balance studies with physical activity, the message is consistent: fitness builds focus.
THE HALF IRONMAN GOAL
The finish line was not an end. It was a beginning.
“I will definitely do the half Ironman next. This time, with practice,” he says.
And one day, perhaps the full Ironman.
Not for applause. Not for records.
Just to finish, again, one step, one stroke, one breath at a time.
