Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati
Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati was born in 1960 in Rajnandgaon (central India) to devout parents who were closely aligned with Swami Satyananda and his work. Recognized as a balyogi (yogi from birth) Swami Niranjan began his training in the ashram at the tender age of four and was initiated by his guru, Swami Satyananda, into the Dashnami sannyasa tradition in 1970. For the next eleven years he toured extensively in Europe, South America, Australia and North America to further the establishment and development of international ashrams and centres. This exposure gave him great insight into the western mind and culture, and prepared him for the years ahead as a yoga master who would convey the ancient wisdom and teachings of yoga across a broad spectrum of the global community.
Swami Niranjan has guided the activities of Bihar School of Yoga and the International Yoga Research Foundation since 1983. In 1990, he was initiated into paramahamsa sannyasa. In 1993, he was chosen as Swami Satyananda’s spiritual successor, inheriting the role of guiding the activities of Satyananda Yoga worldwide. In 1994, he founded Bihar Yoga Bharati, an Institute for Advanced Studies in Yogic Sciences. In 1995, he founded the Bal Yoga Mitra Mandal movement to introduce yoga into the lives of children.
Swami Niranjan has travelled the world for the past forty years, teaching and inspiring people from all walks of life. He has also authored over twenty books on yoga, tantra and the upanishads. Now retired from ashram administration as well as national and international travel, he has entered a new phase of service and sadhana. The directorship of Bihar School of Yoga and its affiliated activities has been passed on to his successor, Swami Suryaprakash, who has been trained for many years by Swami Niranjan to take on this role.
