Rakesh was born in Rishikesh, the capital of yoga that is surrounded by the Himalayas and blessed by Mother Ganga. Rishikesh is known to be the place where great spiritual Masters, Yogis and Yoginis lived and taught seekers from all over the world. Growing and learning in Rishikesh nourished Rakesh with a deep foundation in yoga, yogic philosophy and Indian tradition.

He studied Iyengar yoga for many years with Br. Sri Rudra Dev and Smt Usha Devi, two of the senior-most disciples of Guruji BKS Iyengar. He attended Iyengar yoga programs with Iyengar teacher Nanda Kumar and went to Pune to study at the Ramamani Iyenger Memorial Institute.

His interest in different traditions of yoga led him to visit Mysore in 2010 where he studied Ashtanga yoga at the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute with Amma Saraswati ji, the daughter of Pattabhi Jois.

After more than a decade of committed yoga study and practice, Rakesh completed two teacher training courses in two different yoga schools (RYS) with additional 500 Hrs of yoga training. Arsha Yoga Peetham is registered with the Association of Yoga Teachers and Yoga Schools, Yoga Alliance – USA and conducts yoga teacher training courses with Yoga Alliance certification spanning over 200 & 300 hours.

Rakesh began teaching yoga himself as an assisting teacher for the Iyengar yoga teachers Diwan S. Bisht and Silvano Beltramin in their Iyengar yoga retreats. He taught workshops and retreats in Thailand and conducts classes, workshops and retreats in Rishikesh and abroad.

In his teaching, Rakesh uses predominantly the main elements of the Iyengar tradition, like precise alignment, sequencing and props. In keeping with his admiration & gratitude for yoga traditions, he blends to his practice Ashtanga Yoga flow, pranayama, meditation, Kirtan and Indian philosophy, imparting a deep and complete yoga experience.

Swami Brahmavidyananda Saraswati, a disciple of Swami Dayananda Saraswati, is a scholar and Acharya of Vedanta and Sanskrit. Earlier he was an engineer by profession, which he left to dedicate his life to the pursuit of knowledge.
He unfolds Vedanta in a systematic, lucid manner and while retaining all of its profundity, makes it very easy to understand. As the Acharya of a 3-year course in Vedanta and Sanskrit conducted at Swami Dayananda Ashram in Rishikesh (2003-2006), he unfolded the Sanskrit commentaries of Adi  Shankaracharya on the Upanishads, as well as taught the Bhagavad Gita and Sanskrit.

The depth of his assimilated understanding of Vedanta is apparent in his nature which expresses as heart-touching simplicity of being, love, compassion and extraordinary patience.
He has an ashram near Vadipatti, Tamil Nadu, and is currently teaching another 3 years course on Vedanta and Sanskrit at Swami Dayananda ashram in Rishikesh.

Sri Ram is a student and disciple of Swami Dayananda Saraswati, one of the most prominent Advaita Vedanta Teachers of the modern age, and the founder of the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam (Pennsylvania, USA, Rishikesh india & Coimbatore India) institution for the studies of Sanskrit, Vedanta, vedic astrology and Vedic rituals. This spiritual and philosophical tradition goes back to Adi Sankaracharya, the greatest Master of the Ancient India. It is the essence of the Vedas and the summit of the whole Vedic knowledge. Having the same origins with yoga, Vedanta helps to understand the real meaning and the value of the yoga practice.
Sixteen years of his life Ram spent next to his Guru on the banks of the Holy Ganga in the ashram in Rishikesh. He studied and taught Sanskrit, Vedic chanting, conducted and took part in rituals and ceremonies, being the essential part of the Vedic tradition. Besides that, Ram is a certified yoga teacher on hatha-yoga in Swami Sivananda Yoga tradition. Additionally he graduated from Nagarjuna Aurvedic institute (Kerala-Kalady) as a panchakarma & massage therapist. Read More