Shashi Karandikar
Shashi is an Engineer by profession with a passion for yoga. He is a Professional Level Kripalu Yoga Teacher with over 25 years of experience in the study, practice and teaching of yoga. Having been born and raised in India until the age of 25, Shashi was exposed to yoga at the age of 8. It was his family tradition to do 13 Sun Salutations before breakfast in the morning.
After leaving India in 1965 for England and onto Canada in 1966 to pursue a career in Civil Engineering, his formal yoga training started during a visit to Mumbai (Bombay), India in 1974. He enrolled in a 3 week course at Kaivalyadham (a Yoga therapy and Scientific research Institute) in Mumbai India.
In 1980 Shashi met Yogi Amrit Desai in Summit Station (Pa) USA at Kripalu Yoga Retreat. Since then he has attended many workshops with Senior Kripalu Yoga Teachers such as Dr. Don Stapleton, Christopher Ken Baxter, Todd Norian and Ken McRae.
Shashi completed the Yoga Teacher Training in 1993 at the Kripalu Institute for Yoga and Health in Lennox, Massachusetts. Subsequently, in 2006 he completed the Professional Level Yoga Teacher Training (500Hours) in February 2006.
Kripalu Institute is a member of “Yoga Alliance”.
Achievements and Community Service
- Founder of Marathi Yoga and Wellness Group in 1991. Conducted free yoga classes as a community service for 10 years. Classes are still running every Sunday.
- Conducted yoga workshops in Youth summer camps, University of Toronto, University of Western Ontario and also in Calgary during an Indian community convention.
Conducted lunch time yoga classes in the largest engineering company in Canada. In 2003, the proceeds of the first series of classes were donated to the United Way campaign of Greater Toronto. Shashi has been teaching Lunchtime Yoga in the company since 2003.
Professional Development & Yoga Training
- Siddha Samadhi Yoga (SSY) Training in Pune, India
- Dhyan Yoga Training in Kabir Baug, Pune, India
- Yoga Therapy for Knee in Kabir Baug, Pune, India
- Transcendental Meditation (TM) course in Toronto
- Various courses at Kripalu Institute for Yoga and Health in Lenox, Massachusetts.
Shashi teaches Kripalu (Compassionate) Yoga. His Indian upbringing and the knowledge of Sanskrit (Ancient Indian language like Latin) helps him to communicate essence of Yoga from the source. Classes are conducted which produce profound relaxation and help to manage stress in daily life. It is yoga with heart for the body, mind and spirit. Shashi lives in Mississauga, Ontario with his wife Anjali.
References are available on request.