About Us

Yoga therapy is rooted in the ancient practice of yoga, which originated from India thousands of years ago.  In the west, Yoga Therapy became popular as a result of a study conducted by Dr. Dean Ornish.  The study illustrated how a yoga therapeutic program and healthy lifestyle could reverse heart disease as well as other forms of illnesses.  This therapeutic program was the first of its kind to highlight the benefits of yoga.  In 1983, the Biomedical Yoga Trust was founded to further develop and standardize the field of yoga therapy.  This program for treating heart disease was approved for insurance coverage in 1990, and it enabled yoga to be a formal treatment option for heart disease.

In 2003, the International Yoga Academy (IYA) was founded by Dr. Yogananth Andiappan in Hong Kong. Guruji Dr. Asana Andiappan and the late Guruma Sugatha Kumar were the founding presidents of this organization.  Through this organization, over 5000 yoga teacher training graduates have been professional trained and are currently teaching in over fifty countries around the world.  This organization has helped bridge the eastern and western philosophy of yoga.  IYA and its member organizations support research, education in yoga and serve as a professional organization for yoga teachers of all traditional and lineages.

Yoga Advisory Council

The establishment of the Yoga Advisory Council in 2010 has provided resources in yoga therapy and research, as well as the provision of representation for most of the major yoga traditions and lineages across Asia.

The council include:-

• Dr. Lakshmi Andiappan has been the Director of the Yoga Research committee since 2008
• Master Yogesh Varun has been the Executive member of Yoga Advisory Council since 2010
• Yogacharya Vishnu Kumar has been the chief disciple of Guruji Dr. Asana Andiappan and the Executive committee member of the IYA since 2013
• Master Mahesh Iyappan is the Grandson of Guruji Dr. Asana Andiappan and has been the Committee member of IYA since 2015
• Dr. Anjhana Priya a renowned Ayurvedic Doctor in India has been the Committee member of IYA since 2015
• Master Maharajan is the Grandson of Guruji Dr. Asana Andiappan and has been the Committee member of IYA since 2015

Yoga Conference, Competitions and Festivals

International Yoga Academy has organized many yoga competitions and yoga festivals in Hong Kong and India.

These include:-

7th December 2009 - 1st Asia Pacific Yoga Championship, Chennai, India

21st June 2015 - 1st International Yoga Day - Hong Kong

21st June 2016 - 2nd International Yoga Day - Hong Kong

21st June 2017 - 3rd International Yoga Day - Hong Kong

21st June 2018 - 4th International Yoga Day - Hong Kong

21st June 2019 - 4th International Yoga Day - Hong Kong

21st June 2020 - 4th International Yoga Day - Hong Kong

The IYA Publications

The International Yoga Academy publishes and distributes various yoga products listed below:

Yoga Therapy Series DVD's produced and created by Dr. Yogananth Andiappan and Guruji Dr. Asana Andiappan

Yoga DVDs:

• Andiappan Yoga, Yoga Therapy Series, English
• Back-care Yoga, English
• Detox Yoga, English
• Yoga for Jet-lag, English
• Yoga for Absolute Beginners - English
• Thirumoolar's Ashtanga Yoga Basic Series- English, Tamil, Hindi
• Yoga for Diabetes, Tamil
• Yoga for Back Pain, Tamil
• Yoga for Easy Pregnancy, Tamil

Yoga Books and Teacher Training Manuals

• Yoga from the Heart - Coffee Table Book
• Yoga for Student’s Health
• Basic Yoga Teacher Training Manual
• Advanced Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Manual
• Pranayama and Meditation Training Manual
• Prenatal Yoga Training Manual
• Kids Yoga Training Manual
• Yoga Therapy Training Manual

Yoga Wall Posters

• Andiappan Yoga - Basic Series
• Andiappan Yoga - Advanced Series 1
• Andiappan Yoga - Sun Salutation Series
• Andiappan Yoga - Kundalini Chakras
• Andiappan Yoga - Prenatal Yoga

Yoga Journal

• Asana - International Yoga Journal - Published Monthly