Teacher: Freny Nina Pavri
The Yoga Institute, Mumbai
I was born and raised in Ahmedabad, a vibrant city in Gujarat, India. My first yoga teacher was my mother, who trained under the guidance of Sri Yogendraji, or “Founder,” as he is affectionately known. I developed an early interest in yoga and began learning asanas at the age of 9, through to a dedicated morning practice before school. At home, my mother taught me the yogic way of life through her example as a bhakt (path of devotion), guiding me on how to navigate everyday situations with simple wisdom of yogic principles. It was a very practical and matter of fact approach.
My yoga journey continued under my mother’s guidance and developed as I qualified as a teacher at The Yoga Institute in Mumbai, where I had the privilege of studying ancient texts with esteemed teachers. Over the years, my understanding of yoga continues to evolve alongside a steady research practice and passion for movement. This informs my approach to the body as a continuous process of refinement.
I am particularly fascinated by the anatomy of the body, energy (prana) and its regenerative potential. My teaching is rooted in the integration of physical postures, mindful awareness, creativity and consciousness. I am deeply interested in how we can cultivate a harmonious connection between the body, mind, and emotions through yoga, leading to a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Yoga offers a framework—a blueprint, sometimes encoded—that allows us to align ourselves with the world around us. This synergy of being is at the heart of my practice and teaching. It is very rewarding to share these practices with my students as we learn together.
EDUCATION
Family Tradition.
My mother, Nina, my grandmother, Pheroza and my great-grandmother, Shirinbai
It has been my greatest fortune to learn from my family. I grew up with my grandparents as is common in India. As Parsi-Zoroastrian (indigenous Persian) people , my great-grandmother followed the path of Bhakti, deeply rooted in the knowledge and understanding of the Avestan mantras, as did my grandmother and most especially, my mother. We kept a sacred fire in the house which was taken care of mostly by the women in my family. Their devotion to dharma inspires and shapes my life and work.
In India, yoga is a way of life for many people. It doesn’t necessarily occur as something separate, in the form of a class, or even a disciplined practice, but it is woven into the all-encompassing everyday fabric of life, especially the internal worlds we occupy.
In 1965, my mother and grandmother founded a Charitable Education Trust, starting a school that now educates over four thousand children every year. The school also provides employment and opportunities to many who need it, reflecting their dedication to service and community. Their work exemplifies the true spirit of yoga—selfless service, compassion, and a commitment to the well-being of ourselves and others.
THE YOGA INSTITUTE
The Yoga Institute was founded on 25th December, 1918 by, Shri Yogendraji, who was simply known as Founder.
In the heart of the busy city of Mumbai, the Institute is set in an acre of land, which is cultivated and green, a peaceful haven in the midst of surrounding chaos. Over one hundred years old, it pioneered the modern Yoga movement and remains to this day in dedicated service of bringing yoga education to everyone.
FOUNDER – SRI YOGENDRAJI
Shri Yogendraji, or Founder as he came to be known, was born in 1897 in Gujarat, India. He trained as a yogi with his Guru, Shri Paramhamsa Madhavadasji. In those days such teachings were reserved for yogis (ascetics). Founder believed in modifying and sharing these teaching so they could bring benefit to everyone.
He founded The Yoga Institute at ‘The Sands’, the residence of Dadabhai Naoroji in Versova, in 1918. At The Sands, he used therapeutic yoga to cure various ailments. Later, he traveled to America and founded a Yoga Institute in Harriman, New York, in 1920. A lot of research work, along with doctors and scientists of repute, was carried out under his guidance on the subtle physiological and psychological effects of yoga.
FOUNDER’S TEACHER
Shri Parmahansa Madhavdasji Maharaj (1798-1921)
Shri Madhavdasji was born in Bengal. A lawyer in the courts during the British Raj, he left home at twenty three in search of higher pursuits. His early association with Bhakti rituals could not satisfy the reformist concepts he was looking for. He learnt from different traditions and after traveling in Assam, Tibet, the Himalayas, etc., he was able to get a first-hand knowledge of technical yoga.
In 1916, at the age of 118, Paramhamsa Madhavadasji was in Mumbai at Madhavbaug for a discourse where he met Yogendraji (then known as Mani). A strong bond developed between the teacher and student, and he personally guided and trained Mani on the path of yoga.
ANAHAT. School of Classical Yoga. 2019.