Shri B.K.S.Iyengar

Yogacharya B.K.S.Iyengar (Guruji) is a living legend who has taught yoga in a unique way to all his students. He finds the meaning of the yoga sutras by his practical search and regular practice of yoga. Thus, he has helped all to experience the wisdom of the yoga sutras. His style of teaching yoga is called "Iyengar Yoga" and is now being followed by certified teachers across the world.

Let us see some glimpses of his life:

Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja (BKS) Iyengar was born on December 14, 1918. His father Sri Krishnamachar was a school teacher.

At the age of 16, he was introduced to yoga by his Guru Sri T. Krishnamacharya. At the age of 18, he was sent to Pune, Maharashtra by his guru to teach and preach yoga as he knew some English. This missed his opportunity to learn a lot about yoga directly from his guru.

Guruji is a sincere and committed practitioner. His own practice has helped him to explore and achieve perfection in yoga asanas. This is reflected in the depth of his teachings over these years.

B.K.S.Iyengar taught several eminent personalities such as J. Krishnamurti (philosopher and teacher), Jayaprakash Narayan (freedom fighter), Achyut Patwardhan (commandant of National Defence Academy) and also many physicians and industrialists.

Guruji's practice and teachings were well appreciated by Dr. Rajendra Prasad (First President of India), Dr. Mohammad Hatta (ex-Vice President of Indonesia), Pope Paul VI and also by other eminent personalities from different countries.

On 26th January 1973, Guruji laid the foundation of Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) in Pune, named after his wife Smt. Ramamani Iyengar. The institute was inaugurated on January 19, 1975.

Guruji's teachings were first published in 1966 as Light on Yoga . This book has been translated into 18 languages. Today, he is the author of 14 books.

Guruji was the first person to teach large group of students. He lays great emphasis on precision and alignment which is followed by his students. He gets students achieve levels of practice which had seemed to be beyond their abilities. He brings about an automatic transformation in the mind and habits of people. He is the only person to teach the highest aspects of yoga - Atma Darshan - through asanas.

In 1998, he taught 800 of his students for a week on the occasion of his 80th birthday at Pune. Again, in the year 2000, he conducted a special course for senior "Iyengar Yoga" teachers from nearly 40 countries.

Even today, at the age of 87, he continues to practise. While practising, he is an artist at work. He is always at ease in any posture he performs. Precision and beauty mark the asana, and the regular practice he advocates integrates the body, mind and emotions.

Click here for more info about B.K.S Iyengar