Dr. Yogananth Andiappan
Dr. Yogananth Andiappan is the Founder and Director of Anahata Yoga, Hong Kong. He is born into a family with a yoga heritage, his father, Dr. Asana Andiappan, devoted his life to uncovering the health benefits of yoga and making this ancient practice accessible to all, regardless of their background or social status.
Yogananth's own path in yoga began at a young age, where he garnered numerous State, National, and International Titles in Yoga Championships. In his twenties, he desired to share the artistic side of yoga asanas, leading him to publish the breath-taking coffee table book, "Yoga from the Heart." This exquisite collection of four hundred beautiful asanas served as a testament to the artistic expression that can be found within a devoted practice of yoga.
With his extensive academic qualifications, Yogananth possesses a profound understanding of yoga. He earned a Master of Science in Yoga and Naturopathy, as well as a Ph.D. from the Physical Education and Sports University of India. His doctoral research focused on the transformative effect of Yoga Therapy on recovering breast cancer patients, highlighting his knowledge and experience in utilizing yoga as a therapeutic tool.
Motivated by his comprehensive knowledge of the benefits of Yoga Therapy and his unwavering commitment to helping those suffering from cancer and various physical conditions, Yogananth founded the Andiappan Yoga Community ( AYC, a registered NGO in Hong Kong) in 2010 Hong Kong. Today, AYC stands as the largest Yoga NGO in Hong Kong, with a dedicated team of over 300 volunteers conducting numerous projects and classes throughout the year. Through AYC, Yogananth has been able to give back to the community in the most meaningful way he knows - by sharing the healing power of yoga.
As the Founder of the International Yoga Academy, Yogananth has extended his knowledge and expertise to countless individuals worldwide, guiding them on the path to becoming qualified yoga instructors. Additionally, he established Asana, a yoga magazine dedicated to sharing valuable insights and knowledge within the field of yoga, furthering the dissemination of yoga wisdom. Dr. Andiappan is the founder of www.yogafromtheheart.live, an online yoga platform serving thousands of people daily. Through this extensive resource, individuals can easily practice yoga online regularly,
Dr. Andiappan's impact transcends geographical boundaries, as he has travelled the world, conducting workshops and Teacher Training courses in numerous countries. From Hong Kong and Greater China to Singapore, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Canada, and France, his teachings have touched the lives of many, spreading the transformative power of yoga far and wide.
Yogananth's unwavering dedication to yoga as a way of life, combined with his humble and down-to-earth nature, serves as an inspiration to all who cross path with him. His passion for sharing the benefits of yoga with the world is evident in his efforts to make yoga accessible and his commitment to empowering individuals through this ancient practice.
Vishnu
Master Vishnu is a Yoga Therapist, Natural Therapy Specialist, Assistant Yoga Research Associate, Ayurveda Consultant and has lived in Hong Kong for nearly ten years. He comes from a traditional Hindu family of Ayurvedic Astrologers near Tirupati, India. For over 10 years, he served as a chief Yoga Therapist and Research Associate Lecturer at Asana Andiappan Yoga College in Chennai, South India, and has done research work on Hatha Yoga and Naturopathy.
He studied Siddha, Naturopathy and Yoga Therapy under the direct guidance of Dr. Asana Andiappan for over 15 years. Master Vishnu completed ND (Naturopathy Diploma) from United Kingdom CPD(UK) Accredited course. He is Registered Naturopath from mANP(UK) and mGNC(UK), which are Naturopathy Regulatory bodies in the UK.
Graduated from University of Madras Chennai with a B.SC Physics, Applied Science and a Diploma in Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences (DNYS). Also studied (Post Graduate Diploma Yoga and Naturopathy) at Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute, Chennai.
He has graduated in Science (Yoga and Naturopathy) from MS University, MPhil (Yoga) from Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University, and Pursuing PhD (Yoga) from Vedic Wellness University, Florida University, USA.
Yoga and Naturopathy Therapist for over 20 years and has assisted a variety of research projects in Yoga therapy, Nutraceuticals, Siddha Medicine, Naturopathy diet, and Ayurvedic science teaching students from various medical backgrounds in India.
In addition to his Yoga and Naturopathy degrees, he has completed an MBA (Hospital Management) at Annamalai University. In 2010 he received the Yogacharya Award from the Chief Justice of Madras High Court for his contribution to Yoga Theoretical Excellence and Ayurveda. He also presided World Ayurveda Day 2021, Hong Kong.
In addition to his Diploma in Ayurveda, (Ayurveda Lifestyle Consultant), he has also completed the DAMS program, a government-accredited diploma in Ayurveda Medical Science, and the Advanced Diploma in Ayurveda. Currently, he is a Member of CMA(UK) as an Ayurveda and Yoga Therapy Health Coach.
He studied and practiced Hatha Yoga and Yoga Therapy for over fifteen years, under the guidance of the legendary Guru, Dr Asana Andiappan. He has studied Babaji's Kriya Hatha Yoga and published numerous articles on the subject of Ayurveda Marma Sastra. Ayurvedic Tridoshas Imbalances in the body and Red Flag Analysis in Naturopathic Analysis comprise some of his teaching styles.
Mahesh
Master Mahesh is the grandson of Guruji Andiappan, He was born into a family of yoga masters and started his yoga journey at the very young age of 4. He has trained under the tutelage of Guruji Dr. Asana Andiappan and Guruma Sugatha Kumari Andiappan.
He has completed his Diploma and Bachelors in Yoga and Naturopathy and currently studying Masters in Yogic Science at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in Chennai.
He has won numerous awards in state and national level Yoga competitions. Mahesh has travelled extensively all throughout various parts of India, Hong Kong and trained yoga students of various backgrounds such as law enforcement personals, judicial academy, staff training college of various banks staff .
He has also conducted yoga theory and practical classes for the teacher training students at Asana Andiappan College of Yoga and Research Centre, Chennai.,
Mahesh specializes in Hatha Yoga, Thirumoolar's Ashtanga Yoga and Yoga Therapy for special needs and ailments.
Dhiraj
Coming from a family of Yoga Teachers, yoga has always been a part of Master Dhiraj's life. Dhiraj has studied from various renowned yoga teachers including Guru Swami Harshananda and Dr. Abodh as well as Gurus from various yoga traditions since childhood. He has completed his Master's Degree in Yoga and Meditation from JVBI Ladnun Rajasthan, India. With over 18 years of yoga teaching experience, he has given yoga classes for multinational corporations in India such as Sony, Vodafone, Panasonic, Ray-Ban. He has also conducted two scientific research studies on the effects of yoga on middle-level school students sponsored by NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) New Delhi.
Master Dhirai's classes are a unique blend of various types of yoga such as Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga and Gyana Yoga which aim to attain a perfect balance and harmony between the body and the mind. His classes are suitable for beginners to the experienced practitioners.
Master Dhiraj teaches Hatha Yoga, Yoga Therapy, Destress Yoga, Pranayama Meditation, and Kids Yoga.
Raja
Master Raja has studied yoga for over 10 years under the direct supervision of Guruji Dr. Asana Andiappan. He is a professionally qualified and experienced instructor and has acquired his Diploma, Post Graduate and Master Degree in Yogic Science at Tamil Nadu physical education and sports university in India.
Master Raja has years of teaching experience in the yoga field starting with working as a Yoga master at Asana Andiappan College of Yoga and Research Centre. His classes are unique with individual attention on each persons specific needs.
These include stress management, weight control as well as specific goals such as inversions, arm balance, and backbends.
He encourages his students to work with their physical and mental limitations through his customized sequences, alignments, and hands-on direction. This enables his students to gain a deeper understanding of yogic techniques in their own practice and an ability to explore and rediscover one's natural strength, endurance, and range of motion.
Master Raja is a versatile teacher in various styles and levels of yoga such as Hatha Yoga, Andiappan Yoga, Core Yoga, Yoga Balance, Slimming Yoga, Yoga Therapy and Pranayama Meditation.
Anurag
"Yoga helps maintain fitness, improves one's health, and enables the body to open up slowly and safely," says Anurag, a fitness buff inspired to incorporate the practice of yoga into his health-conscious lifestyle.
However, there is more to the athletic yoga instructor of ten years than a priority for physical fitness.
Anurag was initiated into Jigyasu Sanyasa by Guru Niranjanananda Saraswati, the successor of Swami Satyananda Saraswati and head of Bihar Yoga Bharati (Institute for Advanced Studies in Yogic Science), the world's first and only university of yogic science. There he obtained his certificate in Yogic Studies and received the spiritual title 'Sanat Kumar.' He then worked as a yoga instructor in Solace, a health and fitness centre in Kolkata, India; then served for a time as the main yoga consultant for Mr. R.P. Goenka, a member of Indian Parliament as well as Chairman of RPG Enterprise, one of India's largest business conglomerates.
Anurag is also well-versed in several yoga teaching styles thanks to various training, including Victor Chng's Asia Yin Yoga Teacher Training and Baron Baptiste's Power Yoga Training. Anurag brings a strong sense of body awareness to his classes as well as a thorough understanding of rhythm and movement, imparting to his students the rudiments of maintaining one's fitness, the benefits it reaps for one's health, and the central balance they can attain by combining it all with yoga.
Anuja Chowdhry
Anuja has been practicing yoga at a very young age. Inspired by her mother she started doing Yoga at the age of 15. She has always used Yoga as a way to balance her body, mind, and soul. She also always felt that Yoga was a great form of exercise. She decided a few years ago to change her passion for Yoga into something that she could share with others and took up training in becoming a Yoga teacher.
She has completed 200 hours of Hatha Yoga teacher training course and 300 hours of advanced Hatha Yoga teacher training with the International Yoga Academy with Master Yogananth Andiappan as her main teacher. Anuja is also an active member of Andiappan yoga community a non-profit, a volunteer-run organization whose mission is to share Yoga with those who may not be able to afford Yoga classes or those with special needs. She has also been teaching Yoga privately with now a passionate and active group of students who have credited her teaching style.
Anuja is an active mother of two has always believed that Yoga has helped her maintain calm and balance in an otherwise very hectic and fast-paced life in a big city like Hong Kong. I believe yoga strengthens, it centers and makes you stretch your abilities. It is food for both body and soul and she truly believes that it is something that can help anyone that goes into it with an open mind.
Dilip
Dilip comes from Kerala in Southern India Born into a renowned family of Ayurvedic physicians (traditional Indian medical system) and yoga masters, he started the practice of Yoga, Ayurveda and Martial Arts (Kalaripayat – the ancient Keralan art of healing and self-defense) from the age of 8 and has been teaching in Hong Kong since 2005.
While teaching and conducting yoga and naturopathy camps and awareness programs in South India, he gained extensive knowledge in Yoga Therapy while treating people with numerous common ailments. He has also served as a Yoga Therapist and Ayurvedic Massage therapist in renowned medical institutions.
Dilip’s classes incorporate his understanding of ancient yogic and medical science to create specific techniques that cater to individual needs. Students will find him to be a caring and compassionate teacher, and his classes to be filled with fun and good energy.
Hazel Chan
"Originally from Hong Kong and was living in San Francisco as her second home town where she had her first yoga class. Hazel immediately fell in loved with the practice and started taking yoga classes on a regular basis after her return to Hong Kong. She found it was tough to be back after being away from home for a long time and very stressful, also got frustrated adapting to the local working culture and lifestyle again. Going to yoga classes seemed to be her only way out in the beginning and later on she started longing for deeper knowledge in yoga which is actually more than only moving the physical body into postures as the most commonly known nowadays.
Under the guidance of different traditional yoga masters from India, with Master Yogananth Andiappan as the main master, she obtained her 200hours Yoga Teacher Certificate in 2013 and completed her 300 hours Advanced Hatha Yoga Teacher Training in 2015 in Hong Kong along with the Intensive Advanced Hatha Yoga Teacher Training in Chennai, India. Hazel is now a Yoga Alliance registered RYT 500 teacher and recently has completed a Master’s Degree in Yoga and Naturopathy from Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University. As words are not enough to describe how yoga helps her both physically and mentally, she believes by becoming a yoga teacher would be the best way to share her passion, experience and benefits of yoga to the others."
Keshav
Master Keshav has been practicing yoga since 1995. He is a professionally qualified and experienced instructor, who was inspired by various yoga Gurus in India. Keshav has acquired his Diploma, Post Graduate and Master Degree in Yogic Science at Annamalai University, India.
Keshav has over ten years experience in the yoga field starting with working as a Yoga Therapist in various health centers and Universities. His classes are unique with individual attention on each person's specific needs. These include stress management, weight control as well as specific goals such as inversions, arm balance and back bends.
He encourages his students to work with their physical and mental limitations through his customized sequences, alignments and hands on direction. This enables his students to gain a deeper understanding of yogic techniques in their own practice and an ability to explore and rediscover one's natural strength, endurance, and range of motion.
Keshav is a versatile teacher in various styles and levels of yoga such as Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa, Core Yoga , Sun Vinyasa , Back Care Yoga, Yoga Balance, and Andiappan Yoga.
Priyanka
Priyanka has completed Intensive Hatha yoga teacher training certificate course at Asana Andiappan College of Yoga and Research Centre under the guidance of Guruji Asana Andiappan and completed 500 Hrs and Grand Master in Transformational Hatha Yoga certification (YAI) at SRI MA International School Of Transformational Integral Hatha Yoga Centre located in Auroville Puducherry. Over 6 years of teaching experience in Hatha and therapeutic yoga which is a transformational experience for the students helping them channelizing their inner sense of calm and peace. Priyanka's teaching focuses a lot on alignment and she encourages students to always go back to the basics so they can build a strong foundation for a life long yoga journey.
Priya
Since the beginning of 2010, Priya has been practicing yoga. In addition to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, yoga helped her balance her body, mind, and spirit. So, she continued exploring yoga in both asanas and theory, which led to her choosing yoga as her lifetime career.
Priya was inspired by various yoga Gurus in India who strongly motivated her to teach yoga and preach its techniques for other people's health and happiness. She holds a master's degree in Yoga Therapy from Tamilnadu Physical Education and Sports University and a postgraduate diploma in Yogic Science.
She has successfully completed various accredited yoga courses which include prenatal yoga, yin yoga, pranayama and Ashtanga Vinyasa. She is also a qualified Pilates trainer and has taught in few countries.
Her classes emphasize breathing, stretching, core strengthening, balancing, and meditation techniques to improve overall health and well-being. Priya's teaching method is creative, engaging, and inspiring. Her goal is to provide students with a total body workout coupled with relaxation techniques to help them balance body and mind.
Vanessa
Vanessa began practicing yoga in 2016 after moving to Hong Kong. Initially seeking a way to calm her anxious mind, she took a Yoga Therapy class at Anahata Yoga and just kept coming back!
The daily practice of yoga and pranayama helped her find focus and healing, which contributed to her life both on and off the mat. In 2018, a back injury sidelined her as pain and discomfort made most activities unbearable. In time, yoga strengthened her body, allowing her to regain flexibility and stability, and to this day, her back still amazes her!
The following year, she completed her 200 Hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training at Anahata. In 2020, she participated in Master Yogananth Andiappan's yoga heritage tour of India. On this tour, she was able to gain a deeper understanding of yoga's spiritual and cultural roots, as well as the various styles and teachings of the various ashrams. In Chennai, Vanessa completed her 300-hour Intensive Advanced Hatha Yoga Teacher Training at Master Yogananth's father's school, the Asana Andiappan College of Yoga, under the expert instruction of Master Maharajan. For his inspiration and guidance, she is grateful to all her teachers, especially Master Raja, Master Yoko, and Master Yogananth.
Vanessa practices Andiappan Tradition Yoga and is inspired by Ashtanga Yoga and Hatha yoga. Her practice is grounded in strength, yet always balanced with flexibility and awe for the unique abilities of each body. As a recipient of the mental and therapeutic benefits of yoga, Vanessa is eager to share her practice with Anahata students.
Dyana
Dyana Nagarni was born in Hong Kong and went to boarding school in Scotland since the age of 7, after graduating in London she moved back to Hong Kong, started a family and now a mother of two.
She took her first yoga class in 2004 and since then has been a passionate yoga practitioner, grateful for the balance and peace yoga brought to her life. She later completed 500 hours YTT under Dr. Yogananth Andiappan and has since been passionate to share her knowledge and learnings from him to help both kids and adults gain the benefits she did from yoga.
Breath work & Body awareness is predominate in her teachings as she believes the most important part of yoga is the connection to ones breath. Her creativity and passion for kids has allowed her to focus her practice for Mom’s and Kids.
Dyana believes that planting the love of yoga at an early age can benefit a child’s mental and physical health greatly. In addition to her teacher trainings, Dyana has immersed herself in other areas such as Ariel yoga, Wheel yoga and A Mindfulness for Children teacher training course in order to broaden her horizons.
Lakshmi
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Lakshmi started her yoga journey since 2011 and found it useful to develop her physical and mental strength. To deepen the knowledge of yoga, she accomplished the 200 hours Yoga Teacher Training, the 300 hours Advanced Hatha Yoga Teacher Training, and the 300 hours Yoga Therapy Training under the tutelage of Master Yogananth Andiappan and his team. She is also a certified teacher in Singing Bowl and Sound Healing.
With this background, Lakshmi’s classes can cater to different expectations and needs of yoga practitioners and people who come to classes looking for a balance of body and mind. She hopes that through yoga practice, one can free the mind and soul and rediscover one’s true self. She also strongly believes in the fundamental principle in yoga therapy, i.e. prevention is better than cure, and the therapeutic benefits of asanas, pranayama and meditation.
Lakshmi’s practice is also influenced by a wide range of yoga literature, including B K S Iyengar’s Light on Yoga and Light on Life, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The eight limbs of yoga remain highly relevant in the contemporary world and serve as a guidance to inner peace.
Sangita
Born and raised in Hong Kong, but ethnically Nepalese, Sangita found an instant connection with yoga when she was first introduced to it in high school. She fell in love with the technicality of yoga posture alignment and the way it made her feel - calm and strong; energetic and grounded.
She has continued her yoga practice ever since. However, focusing primarily on asana yoga.
After completing a 10-day meditation retreat in Nepal in 2018, Sangita was inspired to delve deeper into the philosophical, esoteric side of yoga, which led to a 200-hour yoga teacher training (YTT) course at Anahata in 2021. This course was an eye-opening experience for her, which helped to not only advance her asana practice and create a deeper understanding of the physiological benefits of yoga, but also expanded her knowledge about yoga philosophies, its ancient origins and its indispensable connection to meditation. Moreover, it helped to shape her understanding of yoga as being more than just the asana practice itself.
Today, Sangita practices yoga daily in either meditation or yoga asana form. She enjoys practicing and teaching yoga that helps to build the holistic connection between breath, body and mind.
Phoebe
Phoebe is a dedicated yoga instructor with a deep connection to Anahata Yoga. With over a decade of practice, she completed her 200-hour Hatha teaching training at Anahata Yoga, where she developed a strong foundation in yoga philosophy and methodology.
Driven by a passion for growth, Phoebe expanded her expertise through advanced training in inversions and prenatal yoga, further enhancing her teaching skills. While rooted in Anahata's teachings, she also studied under various yoga masters to broaden her practice and provide a well-rounded experience for her students.
Phoebe creates a nurturing and inclusive environment, guiding students on a transformative journey of self-discovery and inner harmony. Join her at Anahata Yoga and experience the profound benefits of yoga under the guidance of a passionated instructor with a deep connection to the studio and a diverse yoga education.