Five Amazing Indian Women in Yoga

Indian women have played a vital role in the practice and preservation of the ancient spiritual, physical, and mental discipline known as Yoga. Although it hasn’t been discussed enough, female ascetics and yoginis were involved in the inception of spirituality and consciousness, before it was even defined. Today, contemporary Indian women in Yoga continue to uphold and propagate its authentic essence with deep insight, humility, dignity and compassion.

Women in the Conception of Yoga

The oldest known evidence of the existence of Yoga is the Pashupati Seal, an ancient relic found in Mohenjo-Daro of the Indus Valley civilization, circa 2350 – 2000 B.C.E. It depicts a figure in the yogic pose of Bhadrasana. Due to its characteristic jewelry and attire, many scholars believe that this figure is indeed, a woman.

As a matter of fact, Tantra (yogic rituals and practices) and Samkya (the theory of yoga) may have derived from a peaceful and thriving matriarchal society on the Indian subcontinent. Their rites and rituals had recognized the female as the source of life, power and illumination who was deeply connected to the cycles of nature. Over time, countless other ancient figurines unearthed across Southern Asia show women in physical postures that indicated a pursuit and practice of a higher level of consciousness.

Women in the History of Yoga

In the Vedic Age, the onset of patriarchy confined women to the household and shifted the practice of yoga to focus more on strength, virility and manliness. The very elements of femininity that were honoured began to be oppressed and vilified as unimportant, offensive and inferior to men. Women were labelled as “impure” and hence, they were not allowed to chant mantras, enter temples or participate in spiritual rituals. Furthermore, men regarded women to be a threat to their continuous attempts at celibacy, self-control and mastery of the ego.

But women knew that there was more than one way to attain spiritual liberation. So they practiced in private. Their yogic path was mainly Bhakti (the path of love, faith and devotion) as it was one of the few spiritual avenues that they were permitted to take. Through this practice, they achieved a higher level of human awareness and consequently, planted the seeds of spirituality in their children that continued through the generations.

Because historical texts were largely written by men in this androcentric Vedic era right through to the Middle Ages, many female spiritual leaders were excluded, and even erased from ever having existed. Nevertheless, there are some women in the history of yoga who have their rightful place in the books today:

🪔 Gargi Vachaknavi (Indian philosopher 900 – 700 B.C.E.)
🪔 Ghosha (Indian seer and philosopher, 1500 – 500 B.C.E.)
🪔 Maitreyi (Indian philosopher, 1500 – 500 B.C.E.)
🪔 Meera Bhai (Indian mystic and poet, c. 1500 C.E.)
🪔 Andal (Indian saint and poet, 700 – 900 C.E.)
🪔 Akka Mahadevi (Indian ascetic and poet, c. 1150 C.E.)
🪔 Sharada Devi (Indian saint and mystic, 1853 – 1920)
🪔 Anandamayi Ma (Indian saint, 1896 – 1982)
🪔 Shrimati Sita Devi Yogendra (Indian yoga teacher, 1912 -2008)
🪔 Labanya Palit (Indian yoga teacher and author, circa 1955)

Indian Women in the Globalization of Yoga

In the late 19th century, yoga began to spread around the world. Almost all of the pioneers who introduced the practice to the West were Indian men, such as K. Pattabhhi Jois, Bikram Choudhury, Swami Vishnudevananda, Amrit Desai and Swami Satchidananda. In order to appeal to western ideals of fitness and exercise, certain aspects of yoga were reformulated. In fact, many will be surprised to learn that Surya Namaskar, or the Sun Salutation, was only devised in the early 1900’s and may have been adopted from Indian martial arts exercises.

Although these Indian swamis were glorified, and even worshipped at first, it was later revealed that many of them physically, financially and/or sexually abused their students. Abuse goes against yogic principles such as ahimsa (non violence), brahmacharya (sexual responsibility) and many other aspects of Yama and Niyama. In addition to being an outright crime, it is the complete opposite of what Yoga is all about. Now, this begs to ask the question: were these men spreading the practice of Yoga out of a genuine desire to propagate peace, wellness and a morally clean way of life in the world? Or did they simply seek power, sex, money, authority, showmanship and the glory of being a guru?

Meanwhile, Indian women continued to habituate yogic practices that were quietly powerful, deeply personal and true to the original meaning of Yoga. History had conditioned them to pursue spiritual paths that abided by South Asian traditions and humbly lead to inner harmony, peace, liberation, awareness and a profound oneness with the self.

Indian Women in Yoga Today

Today, the majority of yoga teachers and practitioners are women. Unfortunately, this ancient science of life has become plagued with misinformation, cultural appropriation and hyper-sexualization, particularly in western society. Many essential yogic disciplines such as the eightfold path, pranayama, karma, philosophy, mantras, Ayurveda, Sanskrit and the study of spiritual texts are excluded, buried or lost in translation. The reason why there aren’t many brown women or South Asian voices in yoga spaces in the West is simply because the majority of those spaces do not reflect what Yoga really is.

For Indian women, a yogic way of life is a part of their cultural identity. Its teachings, practices and philosophies are deeply integrated into the broader framework of Indian spirituality, religious customs, etiquette, morality and social codes. Indian women practice yoga not as a trend or a form of commodification, but as an authentic expression of their traditional beliefs, heritage and spiritual paths.

Despite all these complexities, there are many South Asian female yoga practitioners, influencers and teachers coming forward to educate consumers and the community about this divide. Serving as bridges between the traditional and modern expressions of yoga, their presence is challenging stereotypes and misconceptions, offering a richer understanding of this sacred practice beyond its Western interpretations. 

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Five Amazing Indian Women in Yoga

While yoga has become highly popularized in recent years, many times in forms that focus more on physical postures or commercialized aspects, the five exceptional Indian women below educate, inspire and re-centre the focus on yoga’s true essence, emphasizing mindfulness, spirituality and inclusivity. Whether practicing it as a form of physical and mental wellness or as a deeper spiritual discipline, they engage with the practice in ways that honor its ancient roots and teachings, passing it down through generations with respect for its sacred traditions.

Nanammal

“I never stopped practicing yoga at any point in my life. That’s the secret of my health.”

This extraordinary grandmother was the 2nd oldest yoga teacher in the world. She was born and raised in southern India and had been a yoga practitioner since the age of eight. She continued to practice and teach in a pink cotton saree on a simple rug at her school in Coimbatore until her passing in 2019 at the age of 99.

Nanammal was committed to upholding the spiritual traditions of yoga and strictly adhered to daily traditional wellness practices. She properly incorporated pranayama techniques in her classes and believed that if you’re rushing and working up a sweat, you’re doing it wrong. After all, yoga is meant to be steady, comfortable and blissful.

Having received multiple awards for her remarkable achievements, she unceasingly focused on spreading awareness of proper health among the women of her community.

Learn more: The BBC’s article as well as this inspirational video.

Ira Trivedi

“We’re always searching. We search through travel, we search through apps now… we search for adventure, we search for excitement in our lives, but that journey, I realized, is actually an inward journey… the most excitement and the most joy is actually the journey within.”

Ira is an Indian columnist, author and Master of Yoga (Yoga Acharya) from the Sivananda Institute. Known for her insightful and bold writings on well-being, women, gender issues and cultural awareness, she has won several awards over the years and has been honoured as one of 2017 BBC’s 100 Most Influential Women in the World.

In addition to authoring “The 10-Minute Yoga Solution” and “Om the Yoga Dog,” Ira is the founder of the online platform yoglove.in, the yoga app Ira Yoga Wellness and the non-profit Namami Yoga, a charity dedicated to teaching yoga to underprivileged children. She was also one of the few women to lead the acclaimed yoga session at Rajpath, New Delhi during the very first International Day of Yoga.

Learn more: Visit Ira’s website.

Dr. Hansa Yogendra

“In Yoga, old age is defined by thoughts and not numbers. Old age starts from where the learning stops.”

Dr. Yogendra is not only a yoga teacher, but an epitome of achievement. She is a charismatic speaker, a celebrated author, a well-known television personality, a respected educator and a sharp businesswoman. With prestigious positions in the Indian yoga community, an impressive degree in law, contributions to medical research and several accolades under her belt, she was one of the few female yoga teachers to lead the record-breaking event at Delhi’s Rajpath on the first ever International Yoga Day.

As the director of The Yoga Institute in Mumbai, Dr. Yogendra is known for her compassionate personality and radiant aura. She has even taken it upon herself to educate women on how yoga can have a positive impact on their health and their lives. It’s no wonder that she was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award for being an ambassador of yoga, peace and harmony.

Learn more: The Yoga Institute’s YouTube channel

Rukmini Vijayakumar

“Yoga is not about restrictions at all. Yoga is about freeing oneself of the limited perceptions we have of ourselves and the world around. It is about finding the ability within us to see the unity in all of creation.”

Rukmini is a yoga practitioner, choreographer and acclaimed Bharatanatyam dancer. Bharatanatyam is a classical dance from Tamil Nadu, India which is actually considered to be a form of Bhakti Yoga. It incorporates many yogic elements, philosophies, expressions, mudras and asanas. Rukmini gracefully demonstrates these aspects through her dance, usually dressed in elegantly draped sarees and traditional Indian attire.

When she’s not performing in sold-out shows all over the world, Rukmini runs her own dance company in India called Raadha Kalpa and maintains an inspiring presence on social media. She unfailingly upholds traditional yogic principles, teaches its philosophy, reclaims Indian femininity and beautifully illustrates ‘the yoga of movement’ to the world.

Learn more: Rukmini performing yoga asanas and the Sun Salutation.

Ananta Ripa Ajmera

“Cultivate the garden of your mind. Cutting that which does not serve you makes room for something positive to grow in its place.”

Ananta Ripa Ajmera is an Ayurvedic health practitioner and lecturer, a podcast host, a teacher of yoga and the author of the best-selling book, ‘The Ayurveda Way: 108 Practices from the World’s Oldest Healing System for Better Sleep, Less Stress, Optimal Digestion, and More.’

Ananta is American, but she is of Indian origin and descends from a long line of Ayurvedic healers in India. She received her yoga teacher’s certification from the Sivananda Ashram in Kerala and her Ayurvedic qualifications under the tutelage of Acharya Shunya. As Ayurveda is one of the sister sciences of Yoga, Ananta perfectly incorporates this Vedic system of natural healing with authentic yogic disciplines.

Learn more: Visit Ananta’s website

Are there any other Indian women in Yoga that you’d like to recognize or discuss? Leave your comments below!