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My approach to yoga is both philosophical and scientific. 

 

Having been exposed to yoga at such a young age, the philosophies have long been rooted in me and have since become part of my lifestyle. I have grown, matured, and learned with yoga for more than 10 years. 

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As a child, I was never fond of yoga. My parents were persistent, but the concept of having to be still in silence for even a couple of minutes felt exhausting to the hyperactive ten-year-old that I was. Nonetheless, my parents insisted I join a yoga teacher training, not for the purpose of becoming a teacher but to learn more about the philosophy of yoga. On that very first day of the teacher training at Vyasa, I fell in love. 

What once seemed mystical and unclear to me finally began to make sense. 

Yoga is simply a method to tame the mind using the mechanisms of the body. Yoga educates us on self-control and resilience. Above all else, yoga gives us a sustainable guide on dealing with life.

 

I started teaching yoga in my condominium and at Vyasa Yoga at the age of 14, and I’ve been teaching ever since. As a teenager, I found comfort and relaxation in Yoga. Eventually, yoga became more than just an output for my stress, it became a part of my identity and persona. My practice as a teacher grew, and I started to teach an after school class at my high school, the Singapore American School, as a PE teacher for elementary school students, the Indian High Commission in Singapore, a trainer for future yoga instructors, and on the first world yoga day in Singapore, I lead a class to more than 5000 people including ambassadors of Singapore and India. Soon after, at 16, I become a yoga therapist and was given the opportunity to deliver a TEDx Talk on the “Power of Breath.” This lead to many other opportunities to speak at events and conferences around the world. I performed with the Art of Living and Vyasa Yoga for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was featured in a video advertisement for Marina Bay Sands. I then joined a 500-hour teacher training in Mysore at 18. Since then I have taught at many places around Singapore and globally, including the Institute of Mental Health, Nola Yoga, and today at New York University’s Generation Meditation. Yoga has molded and seasoned me into the individual I am today by keeping me stable, balanced, and grounded in the face of even the worst situations. 

 

At NYU, I am a senior pursuing a B.S. in Applied Psychology with a minor in Philosophy. At NYU I work primarily with the Mindful Education Lab, where I research the overlap between cognitive neuropsychology and meditation. Currently, I am investigating inhibitory control and smartphones. I also like to investigate mindfulness and self-knowlege. My academic research has been published in a peer-reviewed journal and has been presented at a conference at NYU. In the future, I intend to attain a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and ultimately to become a practicing psychotherapist, in order to investigate the inner workings of the mind in order to help alleviate mental pain and suffering. I want to study self-perception and peoples’ relationships with themselves. I want to help people master their bodies and their minds to better understand themselves. My writing has also been featured in NYU’s literary journal, the Straits Times, and NUS’s neuroscience journal. In New York, I am a student ambassador for Outdoor Voices, Pura Vida, Carbon 38, and Talent Hack. Apart from this, I enjoy hiking, running, and just being a student in New York City. 

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My journey does not end here. I will not only keep practicing yoga but attempt to live its principles every day. My gratitude and love for yoga are boundless and I plan to continue practicing, teaching, and learning for years to come.

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Of all the expectations I ever had for myself, becoming a yoga teacher was never one of them but has been a defining aspect of my life and I have my parents and Vyasa Yoga to thank for it.

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I am quirky, energetic, and a bit of a perfectionist. 

But always smiling and happy to engage in conversation.