Yoga Day​ 2025: List of Most Inspiring Yoga Gurus in India and their Contributions

International Yoga Day is observed every year on June 21. It’s a day to honor the role of yoga in our lives — not only as a workout, but also as a way of finding balance and inner peace with ourselves and the world around us.

Yoga has been a part of India’s culture for thousands and thousands of years, transmitted from teachers to students by practice, by discipline, and by deep study. The world has become more familiar with the Physical and Mental health benefits of yoga, however a lot of credit for keeping this tradition alive and spreading it around the world goes to the great yoga gurus of India.

These teachers — and had individual trajectories — helped determine the way yoga is practiced now. Some resurrected indigenous traditions, some modified yoga for contemporary life and some of the other sex introduced meditation and other spiritual practices.

Most Inspiring Yoga Teachers of India

Here is a glance at some of the country’s most revered yoga gurus and how they’ve affected the way yoga is practiced — both in India and elsewhere.

1. Tirumalai Krishnamacharya

Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, otherwise known as Krishnamacharya, was born in 1888 on the 18th of November in Karnataka. He is universally considered the father of modern yoga. He was not just an adept yoga teacher but also a student of Ayurveda and Sanskrit. He was instrumental in rejuvenating the ancient practice of Hatha Yoga at a period when Hatha was losing its value in India.

Vinyasa Yoga was first practiced in Krishnamacharya and synchronized breath and movement. His method was based on the Patanjali Yoga Sutras and that Yoga should be modified to the individual.

His followers — B.K.S. Iyengar, T.K.V. Desikachar and Pattabhi Jois among them — became world-famous yoga teachers and helped popularize his teachings around the world.

2. Swami Sivananda Saraswati 

Swami Sivananda Saraswati was born on 8 September 1887 in Tamil Nadu. He was a physician who turned into a spiritual leader who gave up worldly life in search of deeper truth. At the age of 40, he settled in Rishikesh, where he spent years practicing intense yoga and meditation.

He believed that yoga is not just about physical postures but should include selfless service (karma yoga), devotion (bhakti yoga), knowledge (jnana yoga), and discipline (raja yoga).

Swami Sivananda founded the Divine Life Society and the Sivananda Ashram, which continue to spread his teachings worldwide. His simple, practical approach to yoga made it easy for common people to connect with the spiritual aspects of life.

3. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi 

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was born on 12 January 1918 in Madhya Pradesh and he introduced a powerful and easy-to-practice meditation method called Transcendental Meditation (TM). This technique uses mantras to reach a deep state of relaxation and spiritual awareness.

He gained international fame in the 1960s when celebrities like The Beatles and The Beach Boys became his students. His efforts brought Indian meditation practices into the Western mainstream. Maharishi encouraged scientific research into meditation, resulting in several studies that showed how TM reduces stress, improves brain function, and promotes overall well-being.

4. Swami Rama

Swami Rama was born in the year 1925 in the Garhwal region of the Himalayas. He was one of the first Indian yogis to be studied by Western scientists. Under strict guidance from Himalayan sages in his youth, he gained mastery over mind and body control techniques.

He established the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy in the USA. In scientific studies, Swami Rama amazed researchers by controlling his heartbeat, body temperature, and brain waves, proving the power of advanced yoga practices.

Swami Rama focused on the balance of inner and outer life, emphasizing that spiritual development is as important as scientific understanding.

5. B.K.S. Iyengar 

B.K.S. Iyengar is known across the world for founding Iyengar Yoga. He was born on 14 December 1918 in Karnataka. His yoga is a style that focuses on alignment, precision, and breath control. His own struggle with illness in childhood led him to yoga under the guidance of his brother-in-law T. Krishnamacharya.

He believed that yoga could be practiced by people of all ages and health conditions, which led him to use props like blocks, straps, and bolsters. This inclusive method made yoga more accessible and therapeutic for everyone.

In 1975, he established the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune. His books such as Light on Yoga became international bestsellers and helped spread the message of yoga to millions.

In conclusion, as we celebrate Yoga Day 2025, let’s take a moment to honour the vision, discipline, and dedication of these great yoga gurus of India. Their contributions have helped transform yoga into a global practice of health, harmony, and inner peace.