Hersha Chellaram

Hersha Chellaram (CIYT, E-RYT500) is a 18-year veteran yoga therapist and teacher trainer. She is the director of Hersha Yoga School of Teacher Training offering certification programmes for yoga teachers at the 200-hour and 500-hour levels, as well as specialty trainings for prenatal yoga, children’s yoga and accessible yoga. As a yoga therapist she has years of experience working in three core areas: 1) Inclusion & agency through yoga for children and adults with disabilities and special needs; 2) Women’s empowerment via prenatal yoga, postnatal yoga and the yoga of motherhood; and 3) Meditation & self-inquiry to support mental health. In 2016, Hersha founded YAMA Foundation, a Hong Kong based charity that provides equitable access to yoga, art, and meditation to vulnerable communities with disabilities and special needs; with poor mental health; living in care homes, in poverty and in prison. She has developed numerous programmes and trainings around the world and implemented yoga as part of the curriculum in five special educational needs schools in Hong Kong. Hersha is a pioneer in bringing accessible wellbeing services to Hong Kong. Her knowledge and experience ideally positions her to advocate for disability and women’s rights, diversity and inclusion in wellbeing spaces. Hersha made the list of the 20 Yoga Teachers of Colour to Watch in 2020, and the 2014 Women of Hope Award as Children’s Advocate, presented by the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital Foundation.