What India’s Guinness World Records titles signify about its spirit and values
From fastest nose typing to holding the most straws stuffed in the mouth, Indians have broken and set some wonderfully bizarre world records. The records held represent a range of niche talents and interest. However, there are some common values that underlie all of them.
As someone who grew up in India, I can vouch for the fact that principles like resilience, harmony and coexistence (to name just a few) drive people to set these records.
Ironically enough, these values are best reflected by other records the country holds. Here is a list of five Guinness World Records titles that encapsulate India’s spirit and the values that its people possess:
World’s largest democracy (resilience)
While India took over as the world’s most populous country in 2023, Guinness World Records announced it as the world’s largest democracy more than a decade before that.
The country’s spirit of placing decision-making power in the people’s hands is rooted in its struggle for independence which lasted over two centuries. It represents the collective spirit of resilience that many Indians possess to date and are dedicated to upholding.
Most sixes in an international cricket career (sportsmanship)
Cricket is considered a religion, rather than a sport, in India. It only makes sense that Rohit Sharma, the country’s current team captain, holds the record for most sixes in an international cricket career. Sharma snagged the record from Chris Gayle, another famous cricketer from Jamaica, by blasting 582 sixes in 482 innings.
The common love for the sport also embodies the values of sportsmanship that most people in India possess. Whether it is being willing to support each other during challenging moments or dealing with disappointment collectively and constructively, it creates a sense of collectivism that is empowering. More literally, it also signifies our ability to knock it out of the park!
Most bird species in an aviary (coexistence)
The Shuvakana bird home in Mysuru, India, is a bright splash of colours that houses over 2,100 birds. These birds belong to 468 different species, teaching us that it is rather easy to coexist.
The aviary is a safe haven for many endangered species, whose team provides selfless daily and health-based assistance to the birds when they need it.
The creator of the aviary, Dr. Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji, has previously held eight other Guinness World Records titles. This included the largest display of Bonsai trees which was taken over by Prajakta Giridhari Kale in 2018, who displayed 3,333 bonsai trees.
Most people performing five different yoga poses simultaneously (harmony)
On International Yoga Day, thousands of people from over 20 countries gathered in Bengaluru, India, breaking five records in a single gathering. The crowd set records for the most people performing the Naukasana (boat pose), Koundinya pose, Chakrasana (wheel pose), Natarajasan and the Surya Namaskar (sun salutation) simultaneously.
Akshar Yoga Kendra, along with two other organizations, put the gathering together to demonstrate harmony. It “wanted to break several records to give yoga a wider platform while celebrating and highlighting human strength.”
This physical symbolization of harmony and human strength was no easy feat, but it brought together a diverse group of people for a common and meaningful cause.
Longest human chain of people patting each other on the back (upliftment)
In 2019, 1,454 people gathered together to form a chain and pat each other on their backs. Perhaps the most apparent, this unique record is a literal representation of how Indians appreciate and uplift each other.
Header image: J B/Pexels