Prasad, a Seeker at Heart
Prasad Rangnekar is a Yoga educator based in India. Prasad’s Yoga journey began at the age of 9 with the practice of asana and pranayama in a traditional Yoga school in Mumbai, India. Along with his training in asana and pranayama, his study of other dimensions of Yoga like Bhakti, philosophy, and Mantra chanting began under the disciplined tutelage of his mother.
As an early teen, Prasad realized that religious explanations were not answering his existential questions satisfactorily. This dissatisfaction made him go through a rebellious phase, questioning all that was taught to him as tradition, culture, and dogma. He was deeply seeking answers but didn’t know where to look for them.
At the age of 16, Prasad suffered from a near-fatal illness that made him bedridden for 4 months. Being bound to the bed, his only respite was reading Yoga philosophy books from his family’s home library and reflecting on whatever little he understood. Day after day, as he lay in bed, reading the books and enquiring, many of his questions started being answered. This is when the essence of Yogic spirituality touched him and brought immense clarity and comfort to his restless mind. This was one of the biggest turn-around moments of Prasad’s early life that gave him a new perspective on self, life, and living. After this revelation, Prasad took up a disciplined study of Bhagavad Gita philosophy, asana practice, and strength training to empower himself.
Over the next twenty-five years, Prasad undertook many wandering pilgrimages across India and Nepal retreating to ashram monasteries in solitude and study. He has studied under many teachers from different Yoga traditions. Still, those that have inspired him the most are Tatambari Avadhoot of Badrinath (Himalayas), who taught him the Shaiva Advaita (non-dual) Tantra teachings, Bhola Nath, who taught him the literature of Natha Yogis and Nari Nath of Nepal who taught him about simplicity and surrender. He has also studied modern Yogic teachings in Swami Sivananda and Kaivalyadham Institute systems.
His training under different teachers has given him a holistic perspective of Yoga and his study continues to date. None of the above would have been possible without the blessings and guidance of his Satguru, Shri Swami Samartha Maharaj who personally revealed to him the direction and purpose of his life.
Prasad considers himself an eternal student of Yoga and takes 3 months off every year, since 2013, to go deeper into meditation, solitude, and study. He is known to go into silence and isolation retreats lasting multiple months at a stretch.
Academically, Prasad holds a Graduate degree in Biological Science, and two Masters degrees, one in Business Management, and the other in Philosophy – with a specialization in Indian Philosophy (Darshana Shastra), Epistemology, and Metaphysics. He is also a Certified Fitness Trainer and a Specialist in Performance Nutrition. Prasad speaks seven languages which help him connect and empathize with people across cultures and mindsets.
Prasad believes, that understanding the true meaning of Love and the value of the Self is the only way to make the world a better place. With the blessing of his Guru and the mindset of a student he keeps learning from Life – The greatest Guru of all.
Prasad, an Educator by Choice
Prasad is an educator who believes Yoga to be much more than posture practice (asana). A third-generation educator, Prasad teaches Yoga as a self-transformative practice in an accessible way.
His teachings are a distillate of his own study, practice, and realization over the last 37 years, and are rooted in the mind-body accepting, self-transformative aspects of Yoga, aimed at realizing lasting inner peace.
Prasad is recognized as E-RYT 500 by Yoga Alliance. As a founder of Yogaprasad Institute, RYS 200+300, and YACEP, he leads Yoga teacher training, Meditation facilitator training, Yoga philosophy training, and Continuing Education Unit workshops and retreats in over 15 countries for the last 27 years.
Prasad started sharing the wisdom of Yoga in India in the mid-90s. Since 2003 he has been educating internationally across Asia, North-South America, Middle-east, and Europe. Millions have benefited from his teachings over the last two decades. His teachings inspire across the board, from corporate organizations to non-profit charities, from schools to recovering drug addicts, from athletes to executives, and from children to seniors. His engaging, clear, and humorous teaching style makes the nuances of Yoga easily accessible.
His Youtube channel, Yogaprasad Institute www.youtube.com/user/yogaprasad has over 350 videos on various topics of Yoga absolutely free. Prasad believes in the value of community (Sangha) and has inspired many of his students to set up loving, supporting communities that can flower together.
Prasad has been invited to conduct workshops, retreats, motivational talks, employee development programs, and deliver key-note addresses at various Yoga schools and prestigious organizations like the European Commission – Belgium, Indian Cultural Centre – Thailand, Google – Israel, Procter & Gamble – India, Steiner School – Norway, Israeli Yoga Teacher’s Association, and various Indian High Commissions around the world.
If you would like Prasad to deliver a workshop, teach training or speak at a venue in your town, please get in touch at, askprasadinfo@gmail.com
