Master Sanskrit

Dr. Rajani Pradhan, born on September 15, 1969, is an accomplished academic and practitioner in the fields of Yoga, Saṃskṛta, and Indian Knowledge Traditions. She holds dual master’s degrees—MA in Saṃskṛta and MA in Yogaśāstra—and a Ph.D. in Yogaśāstra. She currently serves as the Head and Trustee of Nādalaya Yoga, Mumbai an Indian organization promoting Yoga, Vedānta, and Bhāratiya cultural heritage. In addition to her administrative role, she has been an Assistant Professor and Ph.D. Guide at the GS College of Yoga and Cultural Synthesis, Kaivalyadhama, Lonavla since 2018 and continues to conduct various courses there. Fluent in Hindi, Saṃskṛta, and English, she is deeply involved in academia and has contributed extensively to institutions such as Swami Vivekananda Yoga Kendra, Navi Mumbai (Affiliated to SVYASA, Bengaluru), K.J. Somaiya, Mumbai, Kavi Kulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University, Nagpur and Chinmaya Naada Bindu Gurukula. Dr. Pradhan is a respected member of several academic boards, including the Editorial Board of ‘Yoga-Mimansa’, Kaivalyadhama, Lonavla and the Board of Studies at Kavi Kulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University.

Beyond her formal roles, Dr. Pradhan actively creates and leads educational initiatives. At Nādalaya Yoga, she organizes ‘Yoga-Melā’—a thematic monthly discussion forum and ‘Yoga Caupāla’, a dialogue series with Yoga experts. She is also the creator of a popular online course on Udemy titled “Saṃskṛta – Read, Pronounce, Write & Transliterate.” Her teaching experience spans self-paced courses, diploma programs, and intensive workshops. She has been a YIC instructor at SVYASA’s Navi Mumbai center since 2018 and continues to guide students across disciplines. A passionate lifelong learner, she is currently studying Pāṇinian Saṃskṛta under Dr. Pushpa Dixit and training in Dhrupad vocal music with Vidushi Smt. Sombala Kumar. Her interests include reading, writing, and photography, reflecting her holistic and creative engagement with Indian spiritual and intellectual traditions.