Our senior yoga teacher, Shailendra Singh Negi, was born and raised in the holy city of Rishikesh, India, on the banks of the holy river Ganga at the foot of the Himalayas.
Through his initial experiences with the Shivananda Ashram in Rishikesh, Shailendra became inspired to dedicate his life to walking the yogic path.
He earned his first one-year diploma at the Shukhdevanand Yoga and Nature Cure College in Rishikesh, followed by studies at the Gurukul University in Haridwar, where he successfully attained a Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Consciousness and Yogic Science. In 2007 he founded the Vedic Yoga Centre as a unit of the Vedic Yoga Trust in Laxman Jhula, Rishikesh and began his true calling as a yoga teacher. His qualifications include classical yoga therapy, yoga philosophy, nutrition, naturopathy and Ayurveda therapy.
Shailendra’s motivation is to inspire his students to take responsibility for their own spiritual journey and take conscious steps for their overall health and well-being. He does not practice or teach one specific style of yoga; nor does he set out to impress; his aim is to pass on the ways in which genuine seekers of peace and tranquility can achieve this much sought after goal, through determination and dedicated practice.
The content of his spontaneous philosophy classes cannot be read in books, as his teachings are integrated from his own personal experience as well as communing with sages whose knowledge has been passed down through generations from the traditional Vedic scriptures.
The main focus of Shailendra’s teachings is to make us aware of our inner spiritual roots, and how to reach them through the practices of asana (movements and postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), samyak kriya (yoga practice to gain awareness of one’s inner life-force), meditation, Ayurvedic therapy, and mantra chanting.
Shailendra teaches that while these different practices work in alternative ways, the purpose of each one is the same – to help us awaken our inner consciousness and attain stillness so that we can live mindfully, in the moment, and attune ourselves to our inner world. Shailendra’s teachings are also devotionally oriented, educating us in learning how to serve, love and surrender – three characteristics of a truly yogic lifestyle.
Students come to Shailendra not just from all over India but from many other parts of the world, including China, Taiwan, Israel, Canada, USA, Russia, Australia, and also from various European, Eastern European and some African countries.
Shailendra travels the world throughout the year (when he is able) to share his traditional style of yoga, but he is based at the Vedic Yoga Centre for much of the time and holds daily yoga classes there.
Come and be inspired by his experience.
Rajendra Negi is the assistant teacher at the Vedic Yoga Centre and is the brother of Shailendra, the senior teacher.
Rajendra was also born and raised in the foothills of the Himalayas in Rishikesh on the banks of the sacred River Ganga. He started his yoga practice in the Divine Life Society in 2005. He was inspired by one of his teachers, Swami Samarpananda Saraswati from the Bihar School of Yoga, who had a major influence on his life (the Swami is a disciple of the famous Paramahansa Niranjanada Saraswati).
Through Rajendra’s dedication to yoga and Ayurveda, he became a trustee of the Samarpanada Yoga Awareness Foundation in Tapovan. Rajendra has also been influenced by the teachings of Swami Rama from the Himalayan Institute, and Rajendra’s teachings are based on the Himalayan yogic tradition. Every year part of his time is spent travelling to sacred places in the Himalayas, visiting different yogis, swamis and spiritual seekers (when he is able).
Rajendra achieved a Diploma in Yoga Therapy and Nutrition in Rishikesh during 2006-7 at Gharwal University. In 2008 he completed a Diploma in Ayurveda Therapy and Swedish and Thai Massage at the Kerala Ayurveda Hospital and Pharmacy. He voluntarily worked there for 6 weeks after completing his Diploma.
In 2013 Rajendra travelled to Thailand to receive sacred knowledge on Buddhist teachings and meditation at the Buddhist monastery at Si Bako, where he also studied Thai massage.
Following this he travelled to Indonesia, giving a 7-day seminar in Bali on Yoga and Ayurvedic practice. In 2014 after returning from Indonesia, Rajendra reinforced his yogic knowledge by completing a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program with the senior teacher, Shailendra, in Rishikesh.
Rajendra is a founding member of the Vedic Yoga Centre and has taught yoga and Ayurvedic therapy regularly at the Centre. He is a multi-talented teacher who is a karma yogi, and dedicates his time to yoga in his day-to-day life. He is also responsible for running the Vedic Yoga Centre in the absence of Shailendra.
Rajendra has a great deal to offer students of both yoga and Ayurveda.
Elizabeth was born and raised in Australia. She first came to the Vedic Yoga Centre in 2014, seeking a deeper experience of yoga. She found the combination of authentic teachings of vedic yoga and ayurveda so transformational that she has returned to the Vedic Yoga Centre in Rishikesh for at least six months each year to develop her spiritual growth.
Elizabeth completed the 200 and 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training Courses at the Vedic Yoga Centre. She has earned her place here as a Junior Assistant Teacher who continues to study and practice the authentic style of yoga that we offer. She has established a small school in Australia where she shares the knowledge and experience of the vedic tradition that she has gained.
Elizabeth is also a junior member of our Centre’s governing body, and serves as the Administration Manager for the Vedic Yoga Centre in Rishikesh.
Dr R.K. Mamgain
Prof. & Ayurveda Consultant BAMS, MD (Ay), PhD (Ayurvedic Medicine) IMS, BHU
Dr Ravindra Kumar Mamgain is one of the consultant doctors at the Vedic Yoga & Ayurveda Retreat Centre, and has 35 years of experience in the field of ayurveda which has led to his integrated and comprehensive approach to treating chronic diseases and lifestyle disorders. He has a wide knowledge of both conventional and ayurveda medicine.
Dr Ravindra was born and raised in northern India in the Garhwal region of the Himalayas, and was inspired from an early age by the great healing science of ayurveda. This led him to study ayurveda and gain his Masters Degree in Ayurveda Medicine & Surgery at Lucknow Ayurvedic College, and his PhD in Ayurvedic Medicine from the BHU Institute of Medical Science, Ayurveda Faculty.
He was a former medical consultant and Assistant Professor in the Ayurveda department of the Himalayan Institute Hospital, and currently runs his Mamgain Ayurveda Clinic from Rishikesh, India.
Dr Pratibha Mamgain
Prof. & Ayurveda consultant BAMS, MD (Ay), PhD (Ayurvedic Medicine) IMS, BHU
Dr Pratibha Mamgain is the wife of Dr R.K. Mamgain and is also one of the consultant doctors at the Vedic Yoga & Ayurveda Retreat Centre. She also has 35 years of experience in the field of ayurveda which has led to her integrated and comprehensive approach to treating chronic diseases and lifestyle disorders. She has been gifted with a natural healing ability and specialises in general health conditions.
Dr Pratibha was born and raised in a religious and spiritual family in the northern Indian region, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. She was inspired by the medical background of her family members to pursue ayurvedic medicine. She holds a Masters Degree in Ayurveda Medicine & Surgery from Lucknow Ayurvedic College, and a PhD in Ayurvedic Medicine from the BHU Institute of Medical Science, Ayurveda Faculty.
She has worked as a senior researcher in the field of ayurveda medicine and has served as a former resident and consultant doctor in Himalayan Institute Hospital. Later she became a consultant and lecturer at the Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University Kathmandu. She currently works with her husband Dr Ravindra at their Mamgain Ayurveda Clinic in Rishikesh, India.
