Sadhguru

Jagadish Vasudev was born on 3 September 1957 in Mysore, India. He took an early interest in nature, motorcycles and outdoor life, and in his youth practiced simple yogic techniques after meeting Malladihalli Sri Raghavendra Swamiji, an early influence on his practice. At age 25 he reports having a profound spiritual experience while sitting on a rock at Chamundi Hill on 23 September 1982, an event he describes as a turning point that led him to pursue inner exploration and teaching. After that experience he spent about a year in meditation and travel, and in 1983 conducted his first yoga class in Mysore. He progressively taught across Karnataka and other Indian cities, and in 1992 he established the Isha Foundation to deliver yoga programs, run an ashram and coordinate outreach activities. The Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore became the foundation’s headquarters and hosts residential programs and large public events. Under Sadhguru’s leadership, Isha has launched multiple social projects including Action for Rural Rejuvenation (ARR) and Isha Vidhya (education), as well as ecological campaigns such as Project GreenHands which aims to increase tree cover in India. He also led creation of the 112-foot Adiyogi Shiva statue at the Isha campus, inaugurated in 2017 and recorded in Guinness World Records as the largest bust sculpture. Sadhguru has authored many books and presents programs like Inner Engineering aimed at wellbeing and self-development; he has spoken at international fora including the World Economic Forum and addressed United Nations events. He is a frequent public speaker on subjects ranging from inner wellbeing and mindfulness to social and environmental policy, and he is regularly featured in international media and conferences.