Guruji Sharath Jois was born on September 29, 1971 in Mysore, India, to Smt. Saraswathi and Sri. Rangaswamy. Growing up in a house full of yoga practitioners, Guruji had his first lessons in asanas at age seven from his grandfather, who was none other than the illustrious Sri. Pattabhi Jois. Under the tutelage of his grandfather, he enjoyed experimenting with postures from the primary and intermediate series until he turned fourteen. The next three three years shifted his focus to his scholastic education, earning a diploma in electronics from JSS in Mysore, All along, Sharathji knew that his heart was with Ashtanga yoga.
Sharathji embarked on his formal yoga study at the age of nineteen. He would wake up every day at 3:30 a.m. and cross the town of Mysore to his grandfather’s Lakshmipuram yoga shala.
There, he would first do his personal practice and then assist his grandfather. This routine of sincerity and dedication, went on for many years. Slowly, when Sharatjhi was ready to guide students himself, there was still the curious learner in him who willingly rose six days a week at 1:00 a.m. to complete his personal sadhana before the students arrived.
His Shala, 'Sharath Yoga Centre' at Mysuru is a favourite haunt to thousands of Ashtanga Yoga aspirants who have had the good fortune of learning under his warm yet strong wings. His expertise and in depth knowledge of Ashtanga yoga found new horizons through his students who have taken the practice across the globe.