MEET OUR TEAM
Anand Gurung
Founding Director
Coming soon…
Bhola Shanker Dabral
Program Director
Bhola Shanker Dabral was born into the study of yoga, philosophy, sanskrit, and Ayurveda. His family has been associated with the great saints of India for many generations, his father, a Sanskrit scholar and disciple of HH Swami Rama, his grandfather a master of Tantric Yoga and disciple of Shri Swami Rama Tirtha, a great Vedanta master of India.
Bhola Shanker was initiated into the Himalayan Yoga Tradition at an early age and has lived a life of devoted service to the Lineage as student, teacher, business director, working closely and learning from Mahamandeleshwar Dr Swami Veda Bharati for more than 20 years.
He holds ERYT200 and RYT500 from Yoga Alliance USA and also a Master degree in Yoga Science from the Yoga university in India and now working on his PhD in Yoga Philosophy. He also holds a Masters in Business Administration from the university of London, United Kingdom.
Bhola Shanker Dabral also served as Board of Directors of AHYMSIN(Association of Himalayan Yoga Meditation Societies, International) and Managining Trustee of Himalayan Yoga Publication Trust as well as Secretary of Dhyana Mandiram Trust, organisations established by Dr Swami Veda Bharati in Rishikesh, India.
He travels throughout SE Asia for yoga retreats and programmes.
Kristine Joshi
Managing Director,
yoga instructor
Originally from Latvia, now based in Kathmandu – Kristine started working at Pranamaya Yoga in 2017, holding RYT500+ Yoga Alliance certificates from India in different yoga styes.
“One of the things I like most about yoga is that it is a great tool for exploring consciousness.”
When not at the keyboard, she might be found teaching yoga at Pranamaya or sketching new fashion designs.
Kanchan Thagunna
Director,
yoga instructor
Kanchan was born in a yogi family in Baitadi in the far west of Nepal. Since his childhood, Kanchan has been practicing Different cleansing techniques, kriyasa, Hatha yoga, Bhakti yoga, Gyan yoga, Tantra yoga,different meditation and Raj yoga. Living in Jagannath Parasdham Ashram and Budi Gatal Ashram under the guidance of his Guru Shree Digambar Gauri Shankar Puri. In addition, Kanchan spent Sadana (deep practice) time in India by the river bank (Mahakali)with some tantra Aghories.
Kanchan is certified in Ashtanga and Vinyasa Yoga from Mysore, India and holds a diploma in Hath Yoga from Balmiki yoga University in Nepal.
Staying in Kathmandu Kanchan offers private yoga classes, group yoga classes, Yoga retreats, Yoga tours and treks, Yoga teachers training. His Yoga style is based on Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Power yoga and Kundalini yoga. Kanchan’s Philosophy of yoga is based on Patanjalies Ashtanga Yoga and he believes in 8 steps in yoga. The key being if one practices Asana (postures) and Pranayama Systematic breath exercise) with awareness then you can become physically fit and have a balanced mind which is the base for your further deep journey in yoga and spirituality. Kanchan believes yoga is the only way and practice which brings us at the enlightenment stage and brings out of birth and death cycle. Practicing yoga with Kanchan is full of fun and at the same time challenging with asana with modifications! Kanchan makes makes the best and suitable classes as pre need. Meditation classes with Kanchan are extra experience as Kanchan has practice different types of mediation from Vigyan Bhairav Tanra. Kanchan believes Yoga, Tantra and Meditation are the secret practices and a Yogi has to live life hiddenly and when the time comes to share then only it needs to be explained and shared.
Resident Teachers
Rupesh Joshi
As a young Nepali boy I grew up observing Hindu and Buddhist practices like ritual- worshipping, chanting mantras, meditating, bhajan – kirtan and satsang on a daily base but it was only in 2003 that I began to develop my own interest in Yoga and discovered yoga to be one of finest things to do in life. That’s when I decided to direct my path towards yoga and became a dedicated yoga teacher.
As far as my background I did an M.A in Buddhist studies and world religion and continued with an extensive study of Patanjali yoga sutra and textbooks of hatha yoga. Then I followed the Sivananda yoga school, a yoga and naturopathy training and started studying Sanskrit language to find a deeper meaning in the ancient texts.
With all these different kinds of experiences and practices in my life, I finally realized that Yoga can be accomplished every moment in life and that there is no limitation for yogic practices. I sensed more freedom in life after that.
Hope to meet you in class and share my teachings, hoping for you to find your own yoga
Ramesh Sapkota
“I grew in a culture where Yoga was not something to do but something to be”. Lived with gurus in Shivapuri and in Rishikesh, Vanarasi, India where I lived a yogic life style.
Influenced by my parents who were devoted towards Yoga and spirituality, I started practicing Yoga since the age of 7 and been teaching for the last 8 years. Most of my teachings were done here at NEPAL, India and while traveling various European countries like France, Belgium, and Spain and so on. This gave me an opportunity to know the western culture and the need of Yoga in different parts of the world.
I strengthened my practice mostly in “HATHA, ASTHANGA” Also I am specialized in “Singing Bowl Therapy and Mantras”. Completed 200 hours course from “World Yoga Alliance” Completed my bachelors in Sanskrit mythology and studied Buddhism and Yoga in Nepal Sanskrit Uni.
An eminent art therapist, where I am improving the patients through a fusion of painting and music.
Devyogini
Yoga has done lots of changes in my life since I started self practicing, after few years of body practice, part of me wants to know more about yoga as a lifestyle not just body Asanas; and that took me to Thailand seeking more about yoga and meditation. I had my first hatha Yoga teaching classes in Phuket, Thailand. After a year of journey in Thailand, universe brought me to India. There I’ve done 500hrs multistyle YTT in Rishikesh.
I have taught Ashtanga primary series in Beijing, China while I was studying traditional chines medicine and acupuncture .
It’s been 2years Since I’m sharing my experiences in different countries like Iran, Thailand, China, India and Nepal.
Yoga is about how you can connect to your body with inhalation and exhalation, And how it can be effective in our daily life, living in the moments.
Through practicing Asana we can reach to the miracle of breath and stillness.
That’s how I try to practice in my classes.
Eka Septifana
Eka began practicing yoga 10 years ago, while working in the finance sector in Indonesia. She was amazed by the profound experience, fell immediately in love with it, and has been a dedicated practitioner ever since. Through a mindful yoga practice, she has learned to stay centered and be present, allowing her to embrace life more fully with love, compassion and gratitude.
Eka is a Yoga Alliance certified yoga instructor at the E-RYT 500 level in Hatha and Vinyasa. Her teaching is influenced by an alignment based approach. She enjoys challenging students and allowing each person to connect with themselves through a centered focus on alignment and a personal investigation of sensations, perception, feelings and thought patterns.
Mohit Thagunna
Mohit was born and brought up in the yogic family. Spirituality is something that he has got from his lineage. He regards Yoga as a bridge that connects individual consciousness to universal consciousness. It is the process of knowing the self. Yoga is a connection of individuals to reservoir of light, power, peace and happiness. Yoga is a journey towards good health and happiness.
Even though he started practicing yoga since his childhood, he says breakthrough occurred in his only after the Yoga Teacher Training he did at Sivananda Yoga Vidya Peetham, Kerela, India under the direct teaching and guidance of enlightened gurus Swami Govindananda Saraswati, Swami Tatwarupananda Saraswati, Swami Nivedanananda, Mani Raman. This sadhana as a disciple of such great gurus has changed his mind set and realized that the journey of life remains incomplete unless we follow the path of Humanity, Spirituality and Yoga.
Bhuwan Khatri
Bhuwan’s spiritual journey started from the cremation ground of pasupatinath temple when he first met his Guru (Master) “Dr.Yogi Maharaj Isha Nath Aghori Baba”. The charismatic character of Isha Nath changes his life. He learned and experiences from yogi’s life style and environment.
The devotion in yoga and spiritual blessed him with scholarship for “Yoga Teacher Training” when He met him yoga teacher, Heather Elton in Isha Nath place. He got training physically, mentally and spiritually with the diverse knowledge and skills.
For Him, Yoga is being with own body, mind and breath to connect with soul where we experience infinite light and happiness. He believes “Everything is with us the light, smile and happiness .let’s connect with each other, and let’s make it more blissful and beautiful”. He loves to share his skills, knowledge and experience for the welfare of all being without any boundaries and limitation. He welcomes you all with deep respect and gratitude.