Anup Param
Anup Param eagerly anticipates sharing his yoga practice with the YB community, emphasizing pranayama, synchronized breath and body movements, core asanas, and relaxation techniques. With five years of experience in Patanjali yoga and a year of leading online sessions, his focus remains on incorporating breath work into each practice. Anup is passionate about fostering a supportive community where yoga is accessible to all, on and off the mat. He aims to create an inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing and benefiting from the practice, ensuring that each individual finds their place in the transformative journey of yoga.
Shilpa Kurkut
Shilpa Kurkut, eRYT-200, RYT-500, IAYT Certified Yoga Therapist, specializes in yoga therapy for seniors, adults, and children in Pleasanton. With a Diploma in Yoga Therapy from Yogabharati and an MSC in Zoology, she brings over 20 years of yoga experience. Shilpa has also taught at the Blind Center in Santa Clara and conducted workshops including Vision, Stop Diabetes, Back Pain, and Kids Yoga Summer Camps. Her dedication to holistic wellness and extensive expertise make her a sought-after yoga therapist and educator in her community.
Autumn Bukhart
Autumn's journey into Yoga began in 2004 with an at-home video, followed by a 16-week introductory course in the Iyengar style. Since then, she has explored all four paths of Yoga. In 2020, Autumn completed the 200hr level teacher training with Yoga Bharati, where she discovered a supportive community of fellow yogis. As a teacher, her primary aim is to guide students inward, fostering disciplined Yoga practice. Embracing Patanjali's wisdom, she believes that through dedicated practice, impurities are eradicated, and the radiant crown of wisdom illuminates our path (YS II.28).
Ranjitha Sastry
Ranjitha Sastry completed her yoga instructor course in 2001 at SVYASA Bangalore. After a break, she resumed teaching by completing a bridge course through Yoga Bharati in 2018. Currently pursuing her "Master of Science (MS) in Yoga," Ranjitha views yoga as a blend of endurance, flexibility, and Pranayama. She enjoys pushing her limits to achieve deeper stretches and emphasizes dynamic mobility in her classes. Expect a fun, invigorating experience that will make you sweat and leave you feeling rejuvenated.
Kirtida Ruparel
Kirtida Ruparel, RYT-500, C-IAYT, is a dedicated student of Yoga and Vedanta, committed to teaching and healing through yoga. With over three decades in the Bay Area, she has immersed herself in the study of Yoga and Yoga therapy since 2011. Kirtida's teaching approach emphasizes achieving balance in body, mind, and spirit, making it accessible to people of all ages. She believes that Yoga is inclusive and beneficial for everyone.
Ishwarryah Ramanathan
Ishwarryah Ramanathan, a Yoga Alliance certified (RYT200) teacher and Faculty at Yogabharathi, holds a Master's degree in Computer Science & Information Systems. Transitioning from a career in mobile app development to become an artist and bakery business owner, she exemplifies versatility. Currently pursuing a Diploma in Yoga Therapy with a focus on psychology and pranayama, Ishwarryah credits yoga philosophy for bringing balance to her life—improving health, nurturing the mind, and fostering spiritual growth. Driven by a passion to share her transformative journey, she seeks to inspire others through her experiences.
Akila Padmanabhan
Akila Padmanabhan, a yoga teacher, is currently pursuing a diploma in yoga therapy. With over 5 years of experience, she teaches various classes including wellness yoga, kids, prenatal, and therapy yoga for both children and adults. Akila actively participated in the Diabetes Movement in collaboration with Sewa, Bay Area, and Yoga Bharati, showcasing her commitment to community health and well-being.
Santosh Kumar
Santosh Kumar, certified in YTT since 2019, has been passionately teaching and learning Yoga since 2018, both independently and as a Yoga Bharati volunteer. Holding MS degrees in Yoga Therapy and Philosophy from VaYU (Vivekananda Yoga University), he aims to share the enriching experience of Yoga with others. Santosh's teaching style, primarily IAYT-based, is personalized with a freestyle approach. Expect a blend of slow and fast-paced Yoga, infused with Vinyasa styles, in his sessions. With a commitment to imparting the transformative power of Yoga, Santosh invites you to join him on the journey of self-discovery and wellness.
Minakshi Rai
Minakshi Rai, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, HCI Scholar, MA, B.Ed, BCA, serves as the Senior Yoga Therapist at Fremont's Yoga Bharati. With over two decades of yoga practice, she's been a Yoga Therapist in the USA for nearly ten years. Minakshi leads meditation sessions at Irvington High School and previously taught Hindi at HUA, Florida. Her workshops cover various topics including back pain management, diabetes, vision improvement, chronic ailments, and children's summer camps. Known for her compassion and discipline, Minakshi aims to integrate Ashtanga yogic principles into daily life to nurture mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Sindhu Singal
Sindhu Singal embarked on her yoga journey two decades ago under her mother's guidance and has remained committed ever since. Joining Yoga Bharati in 2017 as a YTT student, she's been instructing yoga since 2018 while pursuing a Diploma in Yoga Therapy. Sindhu teaches for several non-profit organizations and hosts private yoga sessions, driven by her unwavering passion for yoga.
Indra Singhal
Indra Singhal, a dedicated yoga practitioner for nearly two decades, completed Yogabharati YIC teacher's training in 2013. He offers free community classes and is pursuing a postgraduate diploma in yoga therapy. Indra emphasizes mental engagement in his sessions. With a background in engineering and marketing at AMD, SynOptics, and Bell Labs, he's founded multiple startups and currently serves as a part-time operating partner at a venture capital firm. Indra holds a Bachelor's from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, and a Master's from Penn State University. His multifaceted career blends a passion for yoga with entrepreneurial ventures and venture capital endeavors.
Shriram Sarvotham
Shriram Sarvotham, PhD, ERYT-500, is a senior faculty member at Yoga Bharati. Practicing yoga since childhood, he received his Yoga Teacher Certification from the Art of Living Foundation in 2001. Shriram has conducted over 150 workshops and retreats on yoga, Bhagavad Gita, and Patanjali Yoga Sutras across the USA, including prestigious yoga conferences, educational institutions, and corporate offices. Recognized for his service, he received the Exemplary Service Award from the Consulate General of India in June 2015 and the Yoga Service Award from ISKCON in September 2009. Based in Silicon Valley, California, he also works in the tech industry.
Chinmay Surpur
Chinmay Surpur (ERYT, BS Neuroscience) serves as the Director of Research at Yoga Bharati while pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Saybrook University. He initiated, completed, and published research studies at UC Santa Barbara and Yoga Bharati, aiming to bridge Eastern and Western therapeutic principles. Chinmay conducts international training and outreach for Yoga Bharati, envisioning yoga's acceptance as therapy in mainstream health systems. His passion extends beyond academia; he enjoys music, singing, reading, and travel. His goal is to publish research on yoga's efficacy in scientific journals, advocating for its recognition as a therapeutic modality for chronic ailments.
Dr. Saravanan Chockalingam
Dr. Saravanan Chockalingam (Van) is a Senior Yoga Therapist. Dr. Saravanan (PT, DPT, C-OMPT, CLT, C-IAYT) is a Physical therapist specializing in Vestibular Rehabilitation, a clinical instructor in Vestibular rehabilitation, and a clinical mentor for orthopedic Physical Therapy residency at the Institute of Therapeutic Sciences. Dr. Chockalingam was certified as a Yoga Instructor in 2004 by YogaBharati Detroit & SVYASA, Bangalore, India. He is a certified Yoga Therapist by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). He practices Yoga Therapy in conjunction with Physical Therapy. He conducted numerous Yoga Therapy seminars and camps. He has been a senior faculty for YTT, Detroit for several years.
Mahesh Ballike
Mahesh Ballike is the Treasurer of the Detroit Chapter. Mahesh Balike (PhD Engineering) considers himself a lifelong student of Yoga whose spiritual journey started at an early age and was later enhanced with a Yoga Teacher Training Certificate from Yoga Bharathi under the guidance of Yogashree Raghuramji. He has been learning, teaching, and spreading the Yoga way of life as part of Yoga Bharati for over 20 years. He is also part of the Chinmaya Mission, where he participates in weekly study groups on various spiritual texts.
Vasundhara Mahesh
Vasundhara Mahesh is a Senior Faculty at Yoga Bharati Detroit. Vasundhara (MS Yoga Therapy, EYRT) is a Senior YogaBharati Instructor and Yoga Therapist with a Master’s degree in Yoga Therapy from Mangalore University and a Yoga Therapy Instructor Course and YICC from SVYASA, Bangalore, India. She is a well-trained yoga therapist and researcher with over 20 years of experience. She has been a faculty at the YogaBharati Detroit chapter of the YTT program since its inception in 2004.
Reshma Amin
Reshma Amin, Manager of Administration and Operations at the Bay Area chapter of Yoga Bharati, has been a yoga teacher since 2004. She earned her Yoga Therapy Certification from SVYASA University in Bangalore, India, in 2005. Reshma's teaching experience spans various classes for adults, kids, and prenatal groups at Yoga Bharati. She specializes in conducting workshops on yoga for back pain and prenatal therapy. Currently, she oversees the yoga therapy division, providing personalized services to clients at Yoga Bharati.
Rima Shah
Rima is the Yoga Education Administrator at Yoga Bharati. With a background in physical therapy education from India, she is a trained yoga teacher with a focus on therapeutic practices. In addition to coordinating and administering yoga services, Rima conducts prenatal classes, wellness sessions, and yoga therapy sessions. She strongly believes in the transformative power of yoga, which has positively impacted not only her life but also her entire family. Her son, Arnav, enjoys participating in the Yoga Bharati community and summer classes. Rima eagerly anticipates many more fulfilling years of practicing and teaching yoga.
Mahaveer Khetawat
Mahaveer Khetawat is a Senior Faculty at Yoga Bharati Detroit. MahaveerJi was certified as a Yoga Instructor in 2004 by Yoga Bharati Detroit and sVYASA Bangalore. He began teaching Yoga in 2006 and continues to volunteer his time teaching classes at the Bharatiya Temple in Troy Michigan. He taught Raj Yoga at the Kolkata branch of SVYASA in 2018 & 2019 and continues to teach the four streams of yoga for YTT batches in Detroit.
Mona Shah
Mona Shah (C-IAYT) is a Manager, Yoga Therapy Education at Yoga Bharati. She is a IAYT certified Yoga Therapist and Yoga Bharati Faculty member with over 10 years of yoga teaching. She is particularly drawn to individualized Yoga Therapy sessions, aiming to personalize healing. Mona designs curriculums and workshops to enrich yoga education for students and practitioners. Beyond yoga, Mona finds joy in gardening, hiking, and reading, especially Philosophy and Health/Wellness literature. With a background in Biochemistry and Computer Science, she has contributed to healthcare companies in the Bay Area, adding depth to her holistic approach