Guru shishya parampara
Yoga Teachers & Gurus in India
Learn with experienced teachers, calm, safe and internationally professional. Yogacharya Pankaj Sadana and our Rishikesh-trained masters teach Yoga Alliance teacher training in the yoga capital of the world, and in Varkala and Pokhara, passing the practice from teacher to student as it has been for centuries.
- Teachers
- 8
- Trained teachers
- 2,500+
- Yoga Alliance
- RYS
- Hatha Yoga हठ
- Ashtanga अष्टांग
- Vinyasa Flow विन्यास
- Pranayama प्राणायाम
- Meditation ध्यान
- Philosophy वेदान्त
- Mantra मन्त्र
- Yogic Anatomy शरीर
- Kundalini कुण्डलिनी
Founder and master teacher
Yogacharya Pankaj Sadana
Hatha Yoga, Teaching and Anatomy
“Yoga is not just a workout, it is a working on yourself. It is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.”
Pankaj Ji
Born on the sacred banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh, Pankaj Ji was drawn to yoga from childhood, often found sitting by the river watching the sadhus in meditation.
A lifelong student, he holds a master's degree in yoga and studied in traditional ashrams of Rishikesh, absorbing the Hatha, Ashtanga and Iyengar traditions. Today he focuses on alignment and anatomy, believing that a safe practice is a sustainable one, and his classes blend rigorous physical discipline with deep spiritual inquiry.
- 10+
- Years teaching
- Master's
- In yoga
- 5k+
- Students worldwide
Parampara
Rooted in the Himalayan lineage
Yoga is passed from teacher to student. Several of our teachers learned in the living tradition of Swami Rama of the Himalayas, and in the Vedanta of Swami Dayananda Saraswati.
1925 to 1996
Swami Rama of the Himalayas
Founder of the Himalayan Institute and author of Living with the Himalayan Masters. His disciple Swami Veda Bharati established Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama near Rishikesh in 2002.
1930 to 2015
Swami Dayananda Saraswati
A traditional teacher of Advaita Vedanta who founded the Arsha Vidya Gurukulams, among them the Swami Dayananda Ashram in Rishikesh.
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Swami Atma Ji
Meditation at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama, Vedanta at Dayananda Ashram
Himalayan tradition
Vedanta
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Kavita Ji
Meditation and philosophy under Swami Veda Bharati
Himalayan tradition
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Gangesha Chaitanya
Trained under Swami Rama himself
Himalayan tradition
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Shri Shiva Shankara
Initiated into the Himalayan tradition by Swami Veda Bharati
Himalayan tradition
These streams meet at Pankaj Yogpeeth, teaching in Rishikesh, Varkala and Pokhara.
The teachers
Meet our yoga gurus
Our yoga teachers in India have given their lives to the practice: Hatha and Ashtanga from teachers born in Rishikesh, meditation and Vedanta learned in the ashrams of the Himalayan tradition of Swami Rama, and pranayama and mantra handed down from guru to student. Together they teach our 100, 200 and 300 hour yoga teacher training and our retreats. Open a profile to read more about each of them.
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10+ years Founder Pankaj Ji
Yogacharya Pankaj Sadana
Hatha Yoga, Teaching and Anatomy
Born on the sacred banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh, Pankaj Ji bridges ancient Himalayan wisdom and modern holistic health. He specializes in Hatha Yoga, alignment, teaching methodology and yogic anatomy, blending traditional wisdom with practical knowledge so students build a strong foundation in both practice and teaching.
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Swami Atma Ji
Swami Atma Jnanananda Giri
Philosophy and Meditation
Swami Atma Jnanananda Giri is a homeopathic doctor from Kerala who has lived in Rishikesh for 11 years. He learned yoga meditation at the Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama ashram and Vedanta, the knowledge of Indian philosophy, at Dayananda ashram.
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Himanshu Ji
Ashtanga and Hatha Yoga
Himanshu Ji is a passionate and talented yoga teacher, born in Rishikesh, the yoga capital of the world. He has taught Ashtanga and Hatha Yoga with Pankaj Yogpeeth for several years, offering energetic and powerful asana classes.
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Rahul Ji
Hatha Vinyasa and Alignment
Rahul Ji was born in Rishikesh and spent years practising there with different gurus and teachers. After years of practice he became a champion of the national yoga competition.
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Kavita Ji
Kavitha Hangargi
Pranayama and Philosophy
Born and raised in a spiritually rooted family in Karnataka, Kavita Ji grew up with the values and teachings of Basavanna. A student of Swami Veda Bharati in the Himalayan tradition of Swami Rama, she teaches pranayama, meditation and mantra, and is an RYT 200 and RYT 300 teacher.
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Gangesha Chaitanya
Yogi Gangesha Chaitanya
Spiritual Guidance
Yogi Gangesha Chaitanya is a master of yoga philosophy. Drawn to spirituality from a tender age, he trained under the revered saint Swami Rama in the Himalayan tradition and brings a deep understanding of meditation, Kundalini Yoga and pranayama.
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28 years
Shri Shiva Shankara
Raja Yoga and Tantra
Shri Shiva Shankara is recognised in Raja Yoga (Ashtanga), Mantra Yoga, Laya Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Tantra and Kriya Yoga, and has been teaching extensively for the last 28 years.
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6+ years Purnima Ji
Meditation and Pranayama
Purnima Ji has over 6 years of experience teaching meditation, pranayama and mudra. Through her calm and nurturing guidance, she helps students cultivate inner peace, breath awareness and mental clarity.
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What they teach
Nine paths, one practice
Every course weaves these traditions together, each taught by the teacher who has given years to it. The wheel turns on its own; tap any path to bring it forward.
01 / 09
हठ
Hatha Yoga
Ha, the sun, and tha, the moon: asana and breath to balance the two currents of energy and prepare body and mind for stillness.
Taught by
- Pankaj Ji
- Himanshu Ji
- Rahul Ji
02 / 09
अष्टांग
Ashtanga
The eight limbs of Patanjali, from ethical living to samadhi, and the dynamic series that links breath to movement.
Taught by
- Himanshu Ji
- Shri Shiva Shankara
03 / 09
विन्यास
Vinyasa Flow
Postures placed in sequence, one breath to one movement, building heat, strength and a moving meditation.
Taught by
- Pankaj Ji
- Rahul Ji
04 / 09
प्राणायाम
Pranayama
The extension of prana, the life force, through the breath: the bridge between the body and the mind.
Taught by
- Kavita Ji
- Purnima Ji
05 / 09
ध्यान
Meditation
Dhyana, the seventh limb: from movement to stillness, resting attention until the mind settles into its true nature.
Taught by
- Swami Atma Ji
- Gangesha Chaitanya
- Purnima Ji
06 / 09
वेदान्त
Philosophy
Vedanta, the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita: the ancient texts that give the practice its meaning.
Taught by
- Swami Atma Ji
- Kavita Ji
- Gangesha Chaitanya
07 / 09
मन्त्र
Mantra
Sacred sound and chanting, from Om to the Vedic hymns, used to focus and purify the mind.
Taught by
- Kavita Ji
- Shri Shiva Shankara
08 / 09
शरीर
Yogic Anatomy
The physical body and the subtle body: muscles and bones alongside nadis and chakras, for a safe and lasting practice.
Taught by
- Pankaj Ji
- Rahul Ji
09 / 09
कुण्डलिनी
Kundalini
The dormant energy at the base of the spine, awakened through breath, bandha, mantra and meditation.
Taught by
- Gangesha Chaitanya
- Shri Shiva Shankara
How they teach
The path of realization
Four steps every teacher at Pankaj Yogpeeth walks with their students, from the discipline of the morning to the stillness of meditation.
- The will 01 Tapas Discipline A daily routine (dinacharya) from Brahma Muhurta that purifies the body and mind.
- The body 02 Asana Alignment Skeletal and muscular precision so prana flows freely, with stability and ease.
- The breath 03 Pranayama Breath The bridge between body and mind: directing the life force to calm the mind.
- The mind 04 Dhyana Meditation From movement to stillness, into deep meditation and our true nature.
A day of practice
Weekly schedule
Join our daily classes to purify your body and mind. Drop-ins are welcome.
15:10 in Rishikesh Daytime
- 5
- Sessions a day
- 6.5 h
- Of practice
- 06:00
- Brahma Muhurta
- Hatha Yoga
- Pranayama
- Philosophy
- Vinyasa Flow
- Meditation
- Ashtanga
- Shatkarma
- Anatomy
- Alignment
- Mantra
- Hatha Yoga
- Pranayama
- Philosophy
- Vinyasa Flow
- Yoga Nidra
- Ashtanga
- Shatkarma
- Anatomy
- Alignment
- Kirtan
- Pranayama
- Meditation
- Teaching
- Restorative
- Trataka
Questions
Studying with our yoga teachers
What students ask most before they come to India to train with our gurus.
Our school is led by its founder, Yogacharya Pankaj Sadana, who was born in Rishikesh and holds a master's degree in yoga. He teaches alongside Swami Atma Jnanananda Giri (Philosophy and Meditation), Himanshu Ji (Ashtanga and Hatha Yoga), Rahul Ji (Hatha Vinyasa and Alignment), Kavitha Hangargi (Pranayama and Philosophy), Yogi Gangesha Chaitanya (Spiritual Guidance), Shri Shiva Shankara (Raja Yoga and Tantra) and Purnima Ji (Meditation and Pranayama).
Pankaj Yogpeeth is a Registered Yoga School (RYS) with Yoga Alliance, so our teacher training certificates can be used to register with Yoga Alliance as a yoga teacher. Our teachers bring their own training too: Pankaj Ji holds a master's degree in yoga and is registered with Yoga Alliance as E-RYT 200, RYT 500 and YACEP, Gangesha Chaitanya is registered at RYT 200 and RYT 500, and Kavita Ji is an RYT 200 and RYT 300 teacher.
Every course is taught by a team rather than one teacher: asana, alignment and anatomy, pranayama, meditation and philosophy each come from the teacher who has given years to them. The team for each centre and date is confirmed when you enquire.
Yes. Yogacharya Pankaj Sadana teaches Hatha yoga, alignment, teaching methodology and yogic anatomy. If studying with him matters to you, mention it when you enquire and we will tell you which dates he is teaching.
At our three centres: Rishikesh, the yoga capital of the world at the foot of the Himalayas; Varkala, on the cliffs of the Kerala coast; and Pokhara, by the lakes of Nepal. Some teach at more than one through the year: Kavita Ji, for one, teaches in both Rishikesh and Varkala.
Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga, Vinyasa Flow, Pranayama, Meditation, Philosophy, Mantra, Yogic Anatomy and Kundalini. Each is taught by the teacher who specialises in it, so every class comes from years of their own practice.
No. Our teachers work with complete beginners and experienced practitioners alike, and every class offers gentler and stronger options. Drop-ins are welcome at our daily classes.
Study with our gurus
Teacher training and retreats in Rishikesh, Varkala, Pokhara. Open daily, 6 am to 8 pm.