03/13/2026
After three weeks in India, our Executive Director Rob Schware returned deeply inspired by time spent at Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute — one of the most influential yoga institutions in the world.
Founded in 1924, Kaivalyadhama has played a pivotal role in shaping modern yoga as we know it today. It was one of the first institutions to study yoga through the lens of science, helping establish research on the physiological, psychological, and therapeutic effects of yogic practices. Its journal Yoga Mimamsa, now in its second century, remains the oldest scientific publication dedicated to yoga research.
But Kaivalyadhama is more than a research center.
It’s a place where practice, education, healthcare, and service intersect.
During his visit, Rob witnessed yoga being woven into daily life across the campus and community:
• 850 students beginning their day with yoga practice before school
• Instruction offered in multiple languages to make yoga accessible to every student
• Police officers participating in training and ceremony as part of resilience and stress-management programs
• Ongoing research and education programs that bring yoga into schools, healthcare settings, and public institutions
Rob also had the privilege of meeting O.P. Tiwari, who guided the institute for decades and helped carry forward the vision of founder Swami Kuvalayananda — that yoga should be preserved with integrity and supported through rigorous study.
For more than 100 years, Kaivalyadhama has stood as a powerful example of what happens when yoga is practiced not only for personal growth, but for the wellbeing of society.
That vision resonates deeply with our mission at Give Back Yoga Foundation.
Every day, yoga teachers and therapists in our community are bringing yoga into schools, recovery programs, prisons, hospitals, and underserved communities.
Rob returned from this visit reminded of something simple and powerful:
Yoga’s roots have always included service.
And when we share yoga with others, we continue a tradition that has been growing for more than a century.
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Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute
