About Us
We Are Prakruti Yogashala
At Prakruti Yogashala, we believe true teaching begins with a strong daily sadhana. Before someone can guide others, they must first build a steady, honest practice of their own. We exist to help people build that foundation, through a scientific and systematic approach rooted in alignment, biomechanics, philosophy, and self-observation. This is what turns a student into a practitioner, and a practitioner into one of the finest teachers of their generation. We are not interested in producing teachers who simply know poses. We are interested in cultivating human beings who understand their own bodies, minds, and limitations deeply enough to hold space for anyone who comes to them. This takes quality over speed, dedication over shortcuts, devotion over performance. Whatever we do at Prakruti, we do with bhakti and yukti, devotion and intelligence, held together.
The Origin Story
Meet Darshan Kotecha
Darshan ji was raised in a Jain family. His great grandfather was a monk, and his mother was his first guru. Long before yoga, he spent his early career as an engineer and a physics professor, trained to question everything and to accept nothing on claim alone. That discipline still shapes how he teaches today.
Training in the Kaula Marga lineage, and the daily practice it asks for
His practice was built under teachers, not through courses. He learned asana in the Iyengar tradition, where precision and alignment are non negotiable, and studied under his guru in the Kaula Marga lineage of Tantra. Many other teachers shaped his understanding of philosophy, anatomy, and the inner dimensions of practice along the way. What he passes on to students is what was passed on to him.
2022
Left engineering and academia entirely to found Prakruti Yogashala
For years before that, he had studied how the Gurukul system actually worked: the ancient Indian model where knowledge moved through relationship, repetition, and lived experience rather than syllabus. He saw a clear gap in modern yoga education. Most trainings hand out certificates; very few build the foundation that makes someone a consistent practitioner and a capable teacher. Prakruti was created to close that gap.
Prakruti Yogashala is the result: a school built on traditional pedagogy, small in scale, serious about depth, and designed to produce teachers who understand what they are transmitting. His work continues to bridge science and tradition, biomechanics and yoga therapy, philosophy and psychology, physics and consciousness. He is currently finishing his book on biomechanics and Indian cultural sciences, which has also become the course manual for Prakruti students. Outside the school, he is committed to animal welfare, quality education, and keeping India's cultural knowledge alive and evolving.
Meet Our Teachers
Where Ancient Knowledge Meets Living Practice
The teachers at Prakruti come from philosophy, classical Indian arts, Ayurveda and the sciences. What they share is years of sincere daily practice in a single discipline and the ability to pass on what they actually know.
These are the people you will learn from.
These are the people you will learn from.
Founder & Lead Teacher
Darshan Ji
- Yoga Sutras
- Iyengar Yoga
- Hatha Yoga
- Sanskrit Mantras
- Jaina Darshan
- Samkhya
Darshan is a scholar who encountered Patanjali and recognised in it a system as rigorous as anything he had studied. Twelve years practicing, three building Prakruti Yogashala in Tapovan, gathering what he considers the most precise and most neglected body of knowledge available to a human being: Patanjali's framework of the mind, Iyengar's anatomical intelligence, the Tantra of South India, the wisdom of Sanatana Dharma. His students speak of a teacher who makes difficulty feel natural; who can take a concept that has resisted understanding for weeks and place it, through a single moment of dry humour, exactly where it needs to go.
Senior Asana Teacher
Ajay Ji
- Iyengar Yoga
- Hatha Yoga
- Ashtanga Yoga
- Alignment
- Props
Ajay Ji grew up with yoga, shaped from childhood by senior Iyengar and Hatha masters. Since 2013 he has taught with one focus: the body understood from within. Students speak of a teacher with an unusual gift for finding the approach that opens what has been closed, precise in his alignment work, inventive in his methods, and always specific to the person in front of him.
Anatomy, Physiology & Yoga Therapy
Yogi Harmindra Ji
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Yoga Therapy
- Postural Correction
Yogi Harmindra Ji grew up in Rishikesh and has practiced since childhood. His Master's in Yoga from Dev Sanskriti University and six years of teaching are grounded in one speciality: the body's intelligence. Postural imbalances, movement disorders, asymmetrical bodies - he addresses these as a clinical matter, with the precision of someone who has spent years studying them. His students tend not to expect to enjoy anatomy. Most of them do.
Philosophy & Meditation
Sadhu Shree Ji
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Yoga Therapy
- Postural Correction
Acharya Sadhu Sri is a scholar and teacher of Yoga Philosophy and Indian Scriptures, deeply rooted in India’s ancient wisdom. He holds a Master’s degree in Yogic Science and Philosophy, alongside Advanced Diplomas in Vedanta, Sanskrit and Indian Philosophy, and in Buddhism, Vipassana and Pali. His studies have also taken him into Yoga and Vedanta through the Shivananda Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy in Rishikesh. His devotion lies in preserving and sharing Indian Scriptures as living bodies of knowledge. He is presently pursuing advanced Vedanta scriptures at Kailash Ashram under the guidance of accomplished Acharyas.
Meditation
Jitendra Ji
- Meditation
- Contemplative Practice
His journey with yoga began at twelve. A young seeker looking for relief, who found something that stayed. Through years of practice his own body healed. Meditation became as natural to him as breathing. He teaches with a softness that puts people at ease.
Mantra, Meditation & Music Teacher
Bhagyashree Ji
- Meditation
- Contemplative Practice
Bhagyashree is a distinguished Philosophy and Meditation master with a Doctorate and Master’s degree, known for her deep expertise in Yoga, Spirituality and ancient meditation practices. With mastery in Sanskrit, she has also been a guest speaker on Indian National Television and at International Yoga Festival programs, sharing her insights with audiences worldwide. Her teaching blends mindfulness, self-awareness and traditional wisdom, guiding practitioners toward inner peace, transformation and self-realization.
Hatha Yoga & Alignment (Iyengar)
Abhishek Ji
- Meditation
- Contemplative Practice
Abhishek Ji is a dedicated yoga practitioner and teacher with over eight years of experience, based in Tapovan, Rishikesh, where he leads daily in-person and online sessions for students worldwide. His teaching focuses on Hatha Yoga, with emphasis on proper alignment, mindful awareness and traditional yogic principles. Known for his calm and attentive approach, he helps practitioners develop a safe, strong practice while cultivating mental clarity, inner balance and holistic well-being.
Mantra, Kirtan & Yoga Philosophy
Dr. Akshay Vashisht
- Pranayama
- Meditation
- Yoga Philosophy
- Mantra
- Kirtan
- Sound Healing
Akshay holds a PhD from the University of Patanjali and an MSc from SVYASA. A Kirtan artist who has performed across India, trained in harmonium, mridangam and guitar, with a certification in music from Berklee College. His devotion in chanting is palpable. Students who have never sung a note in their lives leave his classes changed.
Yoga Philosophy & Tantra
Nikhil Ji
- Yoga Asana
- Anatomy
- Therapeutic Adaptation
Nikhil Ji is a distinguished author and yoga philosophy educator based in Rishikesh, where he has been teaching since 2015. After a successful 30-year career as an electronics engineer, he dedicated himself to exploring and teaching the deeper philosophical dimensions of yoga. His unique blend of technical expertise and spiritual insight allows him to present complex concepts in a clear, practical and relatable manner. He is also the author of The Veil of Maya – Exploring the Essence of Yoga Philosophy, inspiring seekers worldwide toward deeper knowledge, awareness and inner transformation.
Meditation & Pranayama
Mahesh Ji
- Yoga Asana
- Anatomy
- Therapeutic Adaptation
Mahesh Harrajaai is a dedicated yoga teacher specializing in Pranayama, meditation and yogic philosophy. He holds an MSc in Yoga and is a registered E-RYT 500 instructor, reflecting his advanced training and extensive teaching experience. Associated with World Peace Yoga School and Vinyasa Yogashala, he integrates traditional wisdom with practical techniques to support physical well-being, mental clarity and spiritual growth. He also shares insights on Ayurveda, therapeutic practices and holistic living, making ancient yogic sciences accessible to a global audience.
Asana, Anatomy & Therapeutic Yoga
Deepti Ji
- Yoga Asana
- Anatomy
- Therapeutic Adaptation
Deepti Ji brings eighteen years of practice and an MA in Yoga to a speciality most teachers avoid: the body that does not fit the standard model. Asymmetrical bodies, chronic pain, old injuries. Her students describe someone with a rare quality of attention, the kind that registers not just what the body is doing but what the person inside it needs. She moves between anatomical precision and plain language with ease, finding the image or the phrase that makes something click. Sincere, warm, and genuinely present with whoever is in front of her.
Vocal Activation & Classical Voice
Pragya Ji
- Indian Classical Voice
- Vocal Technique
- Expression
Classically trained in Indian vocal tradition, Pragya Ji teaches the voice as an instrument. Her classes are precise and specific: she works with how your voice actually functions, where it has been held, and how to use it with full intention. Students consistently describe her classes as one of the most lasting parts of their time at Prakruti.
Ayurveda
Dr. Shadwalee
- Ayurveda
- Meditation
- Pranic Healing
- Pranayama
Dr. Shadwalee Labde holds a BAMS from Pune and brings eighteen years of experience in meditative and healing traditions, including Ayurveda, Pranic Healing, Vipassana, Kriyayog, Chakra Healing, Kali Sadhana and Reiki. A Reiki Grandmaster with additional training in NLP and Crystal Healing, her clinical work focuses on the three doshas, nutrition, pranayama and Ayurvedic balance. She has worked with patients worldwide, helping address a wide range of health and lifestyle imbalances through an integrated approach to healing.
Meditation & Pranayama
Vikram Ji
- Ayurveda
- Meditation
- Pranic Healing
- Pranayama
Beginning his journey at 18, he has devoted himself to yoga, guided by the belief that everything happens for a reason. Holding a Master’s degree in Yoga, he teaches both in-person and online classes, with a strong emphasis on precise anatomical alignment and purposeful sequencing. His teaching supports individuals navigating physical, mental and psychological challenges. Beyond regular classes, he leads transformative Yoga Retreats across Asia and Europe. As a professional outdoor instructor with a passion for movement and travel, he brings together adventure, mindfulness and healing in every journey.
These teachers were chosen for what they know and how honestly they share it. Together they cover ground that most schools never reach. If you feel ready, we would love to hear from you.