Governance
Kaivalyadhama Mumbai is registered as a Charitable Trust with charity Commissioner of Mumbai. It functions as a Yoga Center in Mumbai with daily practice sessions, classes, courses and workshops.
Arct. Shri. Suhas Bhatt
Managing Trustee
Adv. Shri. Nivit Srivastava
Trustee
Shri. Gaurav Mashruwala
Member
History
When the work of Swami Kuvalayanandaji to investigate the effects of Yoga in a scientific way became well known, more and more number of people started coming to the institute at Lonavla with a desire to learn Yoga for the purpose of health and healing. Many amongst them were from Mumbai. As their number grew, they requested Swamiji to open the branch of the institute in Mumbai itself.
In response to these requests the Mumbai branch of the Kaivalyadhama was started on the 6th January, 1932 at Santacruz.
Present Activities
Later on, for a greater convenience of the people, the Health Centre was shifted from the suburb to its present site on Marine Drive. It is registered as a charitable trust with the charity commissioner of Mumbai. The munificent donation received from Sir Chunilal Mehta, made it possible for the Health Centre to have its own building. In the memory of Sir Mehta’s son, it was renamed as Ishwardas Chunilal Yogic Health Centre, Kaivalyadhama was inaugurated as a full-fledge centre on 30th April, 1936.
Today, the activities of Kaivalyadhama Mumbai are guided by the board of trustees and implemented under the guidance of trustees with the Management team. It is a heritage building situated at Mumbai’s Marine Drive, sea face.
Dr. O. P. Tiwari
Dr. O. P. Tiwari is a student of Swami Kuvalyananda. One of the few masters teaching Pranayama practice with a classical technique, where the scientific outlook harmonizes with traditional wisdom. He is a humble man who does not try to prove anything, but with integrity, and sincerity passes on the practice of Yoga in the traditional way.
Dr. Om Prakash Tiwari was born in the town of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Etawah in the year 1933. His father was a lawyer but passed away early in 1940’s. Dr. Tiwari toiled his way hard to complete his education. He completed his double Masters in Art from the prestigious Allahabad University, In the year 1958 he landed up a government job, but at the same time he had an option to come to Kaivalyadhama Lonavala, where he was granted admission in the two-year course of Yoga Pravishta. He chose the latter, and rest is history.
Dr. Tiwari arrived at Kaivalyadhama in the year 1958 and spend time under the direct guidance of the founder Swami Kuvalayananda until 1966, when Swami ji passed away. In 1965, the founder nominated him to be the Secretary of the Trust Kaivalyadhama.
Passing away of the founder had left a great vacuum in the institute. Dr. Tiwari at the young age, steered the institute towards progress in research, training and therapy. The scientific research of the institute depended on a large scale, on the grants of the Government of India and Maharashtra, this continued due to his great dedication and devotion.
Dr. Tiwari carried the great legacy of the founder and represented the institute at various forums at national and international levels. He was instrumental in starting of the Yoga Camps all over India in early 1970’s, with the help of Ministry of Education. He was the face of Yoga in the SNIPES, the National Board that looked after sports and education. He was Chairman of the committee, which initiated the process of introduction of Yoga in Kendriya Vidyalaya Schools in early 80’s. Dr. Tiwari is the founder member of the Central Council of Research in Yoga and Naturopathy. He was deeply involved in the policy making in the Government.
While administration was important, on the other hand, he continued his teachings of the experiential aspect of Yoga in various course in the College. Since 1970’s he visited many countries to share his knowledge and experience of Yoga. In times to come, he became one of the most prominent teachers of Classical Pranayama. Since 1997 he devoted more time to teaching and had extensive tours to Japan, China, US, Canada, Europe and other continents.
Dr. Tiwari was appointed as the Chief Patron of the Indo-China Yoga School Established in Yunnan province, post the visit of the Hon’ble Prime Minister in 2015. He has been recipient of many awards and was conferred Honorary D Lit by the Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University.
Dr. Tiwari continues his teachings with all humility and simplicity, to contribute towards the society. His primary objective in life is to serve the vision of his teacher Swami Kuvalayananda and believes in ensuring that Yoga is not diluted.
He often quotes his teachers favorite lines
“ माना अपमाओ
यवेटि योगिनास्तौ विशमृते ! अपमानो मृतम प्रहरमनस्तु विषम विषम !
For a Yogi praise and insult are verily poison and nectar. The wise dealers that insult is nectar and praise the gravest poison.
Shri. Dinesh Panjwani
Prof. Dinesh Panjwani, the first Vice Chancellor of the Hyderabad Sind National Collegiate University (HSNCU), and Secretary of the H(S)NCB, is a pre-eminent educationist and administrator with vast experience in institution building of over 43 years. He has provided enlightened, motivational and progressive leadership to the Colleges that he headed as Principal – Smt. CHM College, Ulhasnagar (2000 to 2009) and RD National College (2009 to 2017). During his tenure, both the Colleges made substantial qualitative and quantitative progress in academics, sports, cultural activities, research and outreach programmes.
This was seen particularly in the rise in the enrolment of students, the marked improvement in results at all levels of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, the increase in the allotment of research funds to the faculty by statutory bodies of higher education like the UGC, DBT and DST among others, manifold increase in the number of teachers completing their PhD, establishment of research centres and the rise in international affiliations and exchange programmes with institutes of higher education in prestigious universities in the US. As Secretary of the HSNC Board 2017 onwards, he has been actively involved in the co-ordination of the establishment of HSNCU.
Prof. Dinesh Panjwani has been the Member of the Senate, Management Council (UoM), Member, Academic Council (UoM and YCMOU, Nashik), Member of Governing Body (NAAC, Bangalore), UGC Nominee as Chairperson/ Member Secretary/ Member on Expert/ Governing Committees for grant of Autonomy of Institutions and 2F and 12 B status and on Governing Bodies of several autonomous institutions, Member, IB Asia Pacific Regional Advisory Council.
Prof. Panjwani has conceptualised and implemented innovative programmes since the earliest years of his career at KC College. He has initiated outreach programmes like the Community Awareness and Assessment Survey Projects, Adult Education Programmes, Community Based Rehabilitation Programmes, Yoga Intern and Master Yoga Intern Programmes in the Colleges and the University of Mumbai.
He is committed to community orientation and the immense potential of the programmes of higher education to involve youth in outreach programmes so as to nurture the values of good citizenship and governance in them.
Shri. Subodh Tiwari
Shri. Subodh Tiwari was born in the yogic atmosphere of Kaivalyadhama Lonavala, and after attending school in this hill station, he got initiated into spiritual practices by Swami Digambar ji, the Chairman and Spiritual Head of Kaivalyadhama at that time. He was initiated into yogic practices at the age of 6 by his father, Dr. O. P. Tiwari, a disciple of Swami Kuvalayananda. In March 1997, he chose to dedicate his life to the institute and serve it.
Over the last two decades, he has been able to develop the institute’s foundations in order to realise the founder’s objective of ‘coordinate the spiritual phenomena of Yoga with Modern science’. He serves in numerous positions on committees related to policies, academics, and research in the subject of Yoga under the auspices of the Government of India, the Government of Maharashtra, and various universities.
Currently serving as the Honorary Secretary and CEO of the Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute, he staunchly believes that yoga transcends mere physical activity to encompass ‘being’ as well. He advocates for harmony with nature, discipline, dedication, and devotion in life as essential for meaningful living. His objective is to authentically enhance individuals’ lives through yoga practice while simultaneously elevating environmental quality through human endeavours.
He has travelled to various countries to conduct yoga seminars and has been invited to speak as a guest at numerous international conferences. His concern lies in safeguarding nature and promoting environmental enhancements. He enjoys spending time outdoors and pursuing his passion for photography.