Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar

Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar, also known as Grand Master Akshar, is an Indian yoga guru, spiritual leader and author.[1] He is the founder and chairman of Akshar Yoga Kendraa (formerly Akshar Yoga Research and Development Centre),[2] an institution headquartered in Bengaluru, India, which offers yoga training and research.[3] The institution is accredited by the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, under the Yoga Certification Board in the yoga institution category. He is known for organizing large-scale yoga events that have set multiple Guinness World Records.[4][5]

Early life and background

Akshar was born on August 28, 1983, in the Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh, India.[6] He was raised in a military family, which led to frequent travel across various parts of India during his childhood.[7] He cites the Himalayan region and its spiritual traditions as a primary influence on his interest in yoga and spirituality.[8]

Career

Akshar established Akshar Yoga, an organization focused on teaching yoga asanas, pranayama, and meditation. He later founded the Akshar Yoga Research and Development Centre (now Akshar Yoga Kendraa), located at the Padukone - Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru.[9] He has trained several notable figures in sports and entertainment, including Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden, and the wrestling duo the Phogat sisters (Geeta and Babita Phogat). He has expanded his organization internationally, with affiliates and teaching programs in countries including France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, and Dubai.[10]

Akshar also serves as the President of the World Yoga Organisation and the International Siddha Foundation, organizations he established to promote yoga and Siddha globally.[11]

Through Akshar Yoga Kendraa, Akshar has been associated with public wellness initiatives related to breathwork and health awareness. In 2025, the organization reported launching the "India Breathe Again" campaign, described as a nationwide initiative promoting conscious breathing practices in the context of air pollution and respiratory health concerns.[12]

According to organizational materials and media reports, the campaign included structured breathwork programmes, public participation initiatives, synchronized breathing sessions, and digital outreach efforts. The organization has also been involved in community activities, including food distribution drives at Jagannath Temple, where meals were provided to pilgrims and local communities.

Akshar and his organization have set multiple Guinness World Records for mass participation in yoga. A record was set in August 2022 for the most people performing the Dhanurasana simultaneously.[13] In February 2023, the organization set three separate records for the most people holding Vashishtasana (Side Plank), Ushtrasana (Camel Pose), and Halasana during the Mandala Yoga Festival in Bengaluru. In June 2024, during International Yoga Day celebrations, the organization set five new records, including those for Naukasana, Koundinyasana, Chakrasana, Natarajasana, and Surya Namaskar.[14][15]

In March 2025, Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar was mentioned in Taiwanese media coverage relating to a public yoga session and promotional appearance involving Olympic badminton gold medalist Lee Yang.[16] Reports described Akshar leading or participating in yoga activities connected to the event, which drew attention due to Lee’s post-Olympic public engagements and interest in wellness practices.[17] Taiwanese news outlets covered the interaction as part of broader reporting on Lee’s media appearances and activities following his Olympic success, noting the inclusion of yoga instruction and wellness-focused programming.[18][19][20]

The event reportedly involved participation from over 3,000 practitioners and included live training sessions led by Akshar.[21]

Akshar has delivered talks on yoga, mindfulness, and leadership across various platforms. He has also been listed as a speaker at TEDx events, where he presented a talk titled "Your Thoughts Are Your Leader," addressing themes related to thought patterns, awareness, and decision-making.[22]

Institutional developments

In March 2026, Akshar Yoga Kendraa announced the establishment of PURANTHA, a yoga and spiritual sciences centre near Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. The campus is reported to span approximately 165,000 square feet and is intended to offer training in yogic practices such as asana, pranayama, and meditation.[23]

According to statements from the organisation, the centre is designed as a facility for the study and practice of Himalayan yogic traditions and Siddha systems, incorporating training, research, and residential learning components. The organisation has stated that the campus is planned to train up to 100,000 yoga teachers annually through structured programmes; however, independent verification of this capacity has not been widely reported.[24]

Selected works

  • The Science of Mudras (2022) ISBN 978-9393229663[25]
  • Yoga Namaskar (2019) ISBN 978-0241356999[26]

References

  1. ↑ "Akshar Yoga Kendraa attempt to break seven new Guinness World Records". The Hindu. 18 June 2024.
  2. ↑ "Yoga". gov.in.
  3. ↑ "Dua Lipa reveals she always travels with yoga mat: Watch singer 'master this most difficult yoga pose' and know benefits". Hindustan Times. 5 January 2026.
  4. ↑ "Akshar Yoga Kendraa Scripts History on Yoga Day". Deccan Chronicle. 22 June 2024.
  5. ↑ "羽球／2020年接觸瑜伽 李洋期待創世界紀錄". 聯合新聞網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). United Daily News. 10 March 2025.
  6. ↑ "Siddhaa Akshar: The spiritual messenger bringing Himalayan wisdom to millions worldwide". Global Indian. 17 December 2024.
  7. ↑ "International Yoga Day 2022: Grand Master Akshar talks about his journey from the Himalayas to Bengaluru". Asianet News Network. 19 June 2022.
  8. ↑ "Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar on how simple yogic shifts can transform life". Deccan Chronicle. 3 December 2024.
  9. ↑ "Akshar Yoga Research Centre sets Guinness World Record with 285 participants in Bow pose". Asianet. 29 August 2022.
  10. ↑ "'Powerful and positive transformation can take place when people come together and practice Yoga'". The Financial Express. 21 June 2022.
  11. ↑ "3 new Guinness World Records set by Akshar Yoga Institutions". The Hans India. 17 February 2023.
  12. ↑ "India Launches 7-Day Breathe Again Challenge as Toxic Smog Crisis Deepens". Deccan Chronicle. 18 November 2025.
  13. ↑ "Most people performing the bow pose simultaneously (yoga)". Guinness World Records. 27 August 2022.
  14. ↑ "Akshar Yoga Kendraa successfully sets 5 New Guinness World Records". UAE News 24/7. 22 June 2024.
  15. ↑ "Bend it like Bengaluru: Yoga strikes a chord with fitness enthusiasts". Deccan Herald. 21 June 2024.
  16. ↑ "相關報導". Liberty Times. 2025.
  17. ↑ "瑜伽體位擺pose拍照微抖 奧運羽球雙金李洋差點hold不住". Yahoo Sports Taiwan. 2025.
  18. ↑ "學瑜珈真的有用！ 李洋：後期比賽都不用飛撲". TSNA. 2025.
  19. ↑ "羽球／爛英文是效果？李洋自封反面代言人". United Daily News. 2025.
  20. ↑ "相關報導". Focus Taiwan. 2025.
  21. ↑ "Seminar on Akshar Yoga Online Teachers Training Certification (TTC) Course". www.train.aksharyogaonline.com.
  22. ↑ "Your thoughts are your leader". Ted.com. 22 March 2021.
  23. ↑ "Akshar Yoga Kendraa launches PURANTHA, a global centre for advanced yogic sciences in Bengaluru". Express Pharma. 11 March 2026.
  24. ↑ Gupta, Priyanka. "Akshar Yoga Kendraa opens PURANTHA a Global Centre of high level of Yogic Sciences in Bengaluru". DNA India.
  25. ↑ Akshar, Himalayan Siddha (2022). The Science of Mudras. Clever Fox Publishing. ISBN 978-9393229663.
  26. ↑ Akshar, Grandmaster (2019). Yoga Namaskar: The Divine Yogic Salutations. Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 978-0241356999.
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