Namaste!
Prashant V. Joshi, M.A.. M.Phil. E-RYT 500, YACEP, C-IAYT is an electrical engineer and a computer scientist who has brought Yogic Principles and teachings in all aspects of his personal and professional life over the past 30+ years in India, US and globally. He has brought Yoga to the corporate board rooms and offsite retreats, as well as on Tennis courts, where in 2007 he earned a title of Coach P from tennis juniors who saw the benefits of Yoga building stamina, preventing injuries, improving performance, becoming a better sports-person and having fun.
Prashant was trained at Vivekananda Kendra, India in 1984. He enhanced his classical hatha yoga practices with encouragement from his Dad (servant leader, yoga practioner), followed YogaAcharya Nimbalkar-ji's Yoga for every house-hold (Gharoghari Yog) book, came as a graduate student to the US in 1987 and kept up his practices taking a vow of not falling sick while being away from home as a 20-something with little means. He started sharing his learnings at Queens College of CUNY. Living with his mathematician and sanskrut/yoga scholar cousin, he enriched his knowhow and practice. Married in 1991 to a Saunskrut Panditaa (Scholar) and an accomplished Yogini, Manju Joshi, they started sharing together Yoga, Indian languages, culture in the indo-carrebean community. A Ph.D. Yogi and a vedantin (direct disciple of Swami Chinmayananda) appeared in their lives and were blessed with 1:1 training from Dr. Rao, founder of Lotus Yoga and Wellness for over six years in Queens, NY and later in Bridgewater, NJ. Their teachings grew in Queens from one class to multiple classes, therapeutic healings, continuing education workshops and more.
Prashant and Manju moved to Bridgewater, NJ and started teaching from their 200-sq ft Yoga-room at 1001 Brown Rd, a beautiful extended ranch in watchung mountains. That was the beginning of GURUKUL. They co-founded a woman-owned Gurukul, LLC (2000), A science of living institution which later became a premium institution DBA Gurukul Yoga Holistic Centers (GYHC) in Central NJ and Central TX. Prashant has used his academic and corporate acumen to help with the organic growth of GYHC, coaching, training, healing and working with all ages and global communities. He has created many original and unique themes including Serve, Lead, Succeed the Yogic/Mindful way, Mindful Leadership at home-n-work and more.
Prashant has enjoyed his journey from academic, corporate and social entrepreneurship-world to being a startup-advisor, an executive/wellness coach, Yoga Therapist, a motivational speaker, author, tennis player, husband, Dad and a community activist. He lives with his wife Manju Joshi and daughters Illa and Veda in Austin, TX.