This Yoga Teacher Training program is designed by Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (sVYASA) Yoga University through the yoga research for 40 years. YICC is the basic level certification offered by SVYASA Houston for beginners who wants to learn, teach and understand the principles of yoga. It is equivalent to or higher than 200hr teacher training program.  In this training, one will be systematically trained on both practices and philosophy of yoga. This course integrates the various aspects of Yoga-Asanas (postures), Pranayama (breathing techniques), Kriyas (cleansing techniques), Meditation, Vedic Chanting, the essence of yogic literature and philosophy into a holistic composite, thus enabling the student/participant to understand and impart the knowledge of Yoga in its entirety. It is a truly insightful and empowering course designed not only to impart techniques of teaching Yoga but also to facilitate the learner to begin his or her own journey of self-awareness and development.

• Course dates from January 6th to May 19th 2024
• Sessions on every Saturday from 8:00am to 1:00pm CST

Part 4- Report on suitable Yoga topic

• Every student has to prepare a report on Yoga related topic like Yoga for children, Yoga for health, Yoga and exercise etc.
• Part of the course is also the written & practical exams, which is important to be cleared.

Benefits of becoming a certified instructor

• Empowering you with a career in yoga in order to serve society
• Learn the science of Yoga from one of the best in the world!
• Holistic understanding of the philosophy of Yoga
• Learning tools for holistic living
• Stress Management, prevention of stress related ailments

Vishwarup Nanjundappa, M.Phil. (Sanskrit), E-RYT-500, C-IAYT, serves as the Executive Director and faculty at SVYASA Houston Center. His extensive education includes the study of Krishna Yajurveda and other Vedic Scriptures, undertaken in Sanskrit at Veda Vijnana Gurukulam in Bangalore, India. Vishwarup is also trained in Hatha, Vinyasa, and Astanga yoga forms, and he brings over two decades of experience in teaching both yoga and Sanskrit.

Within the SVYASA Houston community, he has played a crucial role in training and mentoring hundreds of yoga teachers. Under his leadership, SVYASA Houston has not only maintained but also expanded its community partnerships, fostering growth in programs related to community wellness, research, and education.

In Vishwarup’s view, “yoga is a way of life that helps one in returning to one’s nature, which is health and happiness.”

Smitha Mallaiah is a Program Director at SVYASA Houston since 2011. Boasting over two decades of yoga therapy experience, she brings a wealth of clinical and academic expertise to her role. At SVYASA-USA Houston, she holds the position of Program Director for the Yoga Therapy Training Program, which is accredited by IAYT, actively guiding and mentoring students in the field of yoga therapy.
In addition to her role at SVYASA, Ms. Mallaiah is a Senior Mind-Body Intervention Specialist at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Integrative Medicine program. With over a decade of dedicated service, she has worked extensively with thousands of cancer patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center. She played a pivotal role in establishing the first yoga therapy clinic at MD Anderson, where she collaborates with other integrative medicine clinicians to incorporate yoga therapy into the care of inpatients and outpatients throughout the cancer journey—from prevention and diagnosis to end-of-life support.
Ms. Mallaiah’s contributions extend to the research domain, where she has developed and taught yoga research interventions for diverse cancer populations, including Breast, Lung, Brain, Head and Neck cancers, among others. Her commitment to advancing knowledge is reflected in her authored/co-authored yoga publications and book chapters. She has also presented her work at both national and international conferences, focusing on the efficacy of yoga in cancer care.

Satya Pappu serves as a Faculty and Mentor at SVYASA Houston. Additionally, she holds certification as a Yoga Therapist (CIAYT) and has completed specialized training in Yoga for Kids (KYTTC) and Yoga Therapy Orientation for Diabetes (YTOC) through SVYASA Houston. In her role at SVYASA, she leads the 200-hour Yoga Instructor Certification course.

Beyond her work at SVYASA, Satya is actively engaged in supporting cancer patients at MD Anderson and serves as the Certification Lead at the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). With seven years of teaching experience, she has shared the benefits of yoga with individuals of all ages, including teaching at Harris County’s juvenile probation center for girls.

Satya has organized and taught in various summer Yoga camps for children, as well as SDM camps. Her personal passion lies in the study of yogic scriptures in Sanskrit, reflecting her deep commitment to the philosophical aspects of yoga.

Jayachandran’s introduction to yoga began over 12 years ago in the pursuit of finding solution for his long-standing physical problem. As yoga began to help not only with his problem but also helped him physiologically and psychologically, he looked for ways to deepen his practice. In 2016, he took 200 hour yoga teacher training course offered by SVYASA Houston.  In 2018, he completed SVYASA Houston’s KYTTC (20-hour kids yoga teacher training certification). He has also taken a 20-hour teacher training on yoga for diabetes from VYASA-Houston. He is currently pursuing his Yoga therapy training certification (800 hours) with VYASA Houston. Jay is very grateful to all of his teachers who have lit the way, and is honored to share this light with others.

Jayachandran has taught yoga classes at various community centers and temples around Houston, TX since he got his 200-hour certification in June 2016. He has also volunteered to teach at Stop Diabetes Movement conducted by SVAYSA since 2017. He has also been teaching at Kids yoga camp conducted by Svyasa every year since 2017.