The People Behind Our Community
Behind every class, course and student experience is a dedicated team working with care and purpose. Meet the people who support Bali Yoga School through leadership, student care, daily operations, technology and community coordination.
Yogi Himanshu Joshi
My journey with Bali Yoga School began in 2017, when I met Dewa at a hotel in Ubud, Bali. From our very first meeting, our relationship felt less like a business connection and more like that of two brothers—Dewa as my elder brother and me as his younger brother. After spending some time together, I shared with him the idea of creating a yoga school in Ubud under the name Bali Yoga School, and from there our journey began.
The early years were not always easy. We faced many challenges, but Dewa and I remained together with honesty, mutual understanding, trust, and respect. Throughout this journey, his wife Ayu has also been a constant source of support, always standing beside us and understanding both the challenges and the vision behind what we were creating.
I am equally grateful to Shailesh, who is not only my friend but also like a younger brother to me. From the very beginning, he has worked alongside me on IT, technology, websites, and many of the systems that support our organizations. Through every high and low, he has remained supportive, respectful, and committed to the journey.
My wife has also continuously stood beside me, supported my vision, and understood the responsibilities that come with building an organization. Today, she contributes through education and service development, helping us strengthen our team and improve the way we serve people through yoga and wellness.
My sister Deepika and my father have also been an important part of this journey. They have supported me, worked alongside me day and night, and helped create an environment where students from around the world can come, learn yoga, and feel genuinely cared for.
I am deeply thankful to the entire Himalayan Yoga Association and Bali Yoga School management team, ground team, and teachers who have trusted this vision and continued walking with us.Today, I personally teach less because my focus has gradually expanded toward creating employment, educating people, developing responsible teams, and providing teachers and staff with a healthy space where they can work, learn, grow, and build a better life. Our teachers now carry the responsibility of sharing yoga with our students, while my role is increasingly focused on creating opportunities and strengthening the environment around them.
The purpose behind teaching yoga, for us, is much deeper than simply teaching postures or techniques. We want people to learn how to care for and respect their body, mind, and inner self, because these are the foundations through which we experience this life. When we learn to take care of ourselves consciously, our journey can become healthier, more balanced, and more meaningful.
I believe yoga has the power to support a person on every level—physically, mentally, and spiritually. Through consistent practice, we can develop a healthier body, a clearer and more peaceful mind, and a deeper understanding of ourselves. Yoga can help us recognize, at the right stage of life, what truly matters and how we want to live.
Ultimately, our purpose is to help people use yoga not only as a practice on the mat, but as a way to understand life, respect themselves, live consciously, and spend their journey in a healthier and more meaningful way.
For me, yoga has never been only a profession. It is connected with service, conscious living, responsibility, and creating positive opportunities for others. My aim is to keep building spaces where people can learn, work with dignity, develop themselves, and together serve others in a meaningful way.
Head Management Team
The people supporting everyday operations, student care, technology and community coordination at Bali Yoga School.
Dewa
Namaste everyone,
My name is Dewa, and I am the School Director of Bali Yoga School.
My journey with Bali Yoga School began in 2018, when I met Yogi Himanshu Joshi, the founder of Bali Yoga School. We became good friends, and over time, that friendship developed into a strong brotherhood built on trust, respect and a shared vision.
Himanshu came to me with the idea of creating a yoga school in Bali where people could learn yoga in a genuine and authentic way. From that moment, we started building Bali Yoga School together.
Like every meaningful journey, we faced many challenges, but we always stood beside each other and continued moving forward with respect and understanding.
Since 2018, we have welcomed thousands of students and yoga practitioners from around the world.
Our purpose has always been very simple:
To share yoga authentically and to preserve its true essence.
Today, yoga can sometimes become very focused on beautiful locations, photographs and presentation. There is nothing wrong with that, but we believe yoga should never lose its deeper meaning.
Yoga is not only about performing postures.
Yoga is about understanding yourself, taking care of your body and mind, living with awareness, and learning how to live life with greater health, balance and love.
Many of our teachers and team members have been connected with Bali Yoga School for years. Together, we have created a peaceful and supportive environment where students can genuinely practise, learn and experience yoga.
When you come to Bali Yoga School, our intention is not only to help you complete a course or receive a certificate.
We want you to take something meaningful from yoga that stays with you throughout your life.
Because your life is your most important journey.
If yoga can help you become healthier, understand yourself better and live your life with more awareness and love, then yoga has fulfilled its real purpose.
So, I warmly welcome you to Bali Yoga School.
Thank you for understanding our journey, our values and our purpose.
I look forward to meeting you personally here in Bali.
Namaste, and welcome to Bali Yoga School.
Akane
Akane Itoshiro, wife of Himanshu Joshi, is an important part of the Himalayan Yoga Association and Bali Yoga School community. Born and raised in Japan, she brings together Japanese values, international experience, discipline, care, practicality, and a global perspective in everything she does.
Akane first met Himanshu in Rishikesh at Himalayan Yoga Association, where she had come to complete her 500-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course. What impressed her most about Himanshu was his honesty, understanding nature, respect for others, and practical approach to life.
She found communication with him natural and easy. His respectful, supportive, and understanding personality deeply resonated with her, and over time their connection grew into a shared life and a shared commitment to the community.
Before becoming closely involved with the yoga community, Akane spent approximately eight to nine years working as a cabin crew member with Emirates Airline. Her career gave her the opportunity to travel extensively across the world, experience different cultures and societies, and observe diverse standards of hospitality, service, technology, lifestyle, and human interaction.
These experiences have shaped the way she sees people, service, and community today. Although Japan is where she was born, Akane has developed a deep connection with India and Bali, and today she considers Japan, India, and Bali all to be home in different ways.
Today, Akane works alongside Himanshu in supporting the growth and development of the wider community, including Himalayan Yoga Association, Bali Yoga School, Himalayan Yoga Spa, Himalayan Yoga Cafe, and other community initiatives.
A major part of her role is sharing the knowledge and experience she has gained through international living and travel. She supports team members, helps them understand better standards of service and communication, and encourages them to continue learning, developing, and becoming more confident in their work.
For Akane, the purpose is not simply to grow an organisation. She wants the entire community to become capable of serving people better while creating opportunities for the people who work within it to learn, develop, and move forward in their own lives.
Her continued effort is to support Himanshu’s vision while helping build a community that grows with education, respect, quality, care, and meaningful human connection.
Deepika
Deepika, Himanshu’s sister, has been an integral part of the journey of Himalayan Yoga Association and Bali Yoga School since their early years. From the beginning, she has consistently supported both communities through their growth, challenges, changes, and important milestones, always remaining dependable and deeply committed to their progress.
Over the years, Deepika has contributed continuously behind the scenes, often working with great dedication to ensure that the organisations keep moving forward smoothly. Through every phase of growth and every up and down experienced by HYA and BYS, she has remained a strong and steady source of support.
Deepika has completed her MBA and has a strong educational background, with a good understanding of business management, accounts, and organisational processes. Her academic foundation, combined with years of practical experience within the community, helps her approach responsibilities with clarity, structure, and sound judgement.
A major part of her role is connected with the IT and technology team, which she mentors and guides with clarity, patience, and a well-organised approach. She helps the team maintain and improve the digital systems that support students, staff, operations, and the wider global yoga community, with a focus on creating a seamless and enriching digital experience.
Known for her calm, thoughtful, and balanced nature, Deepika brings a practical and solution-oriented approach to her responsibilities. Her ability to understand people, guide teams, and work consistently behind the scenes has made her a valuable part of the development of both communities.
As Himanshu’s sister, she has been closely connected with the vision and evolution of the organisations from the very beginning. Her long-term commitment is not simply about managing technology or supporting operations, but about continuously helping Himalayan Yoga Association and Bali Yoga School become stronger, better organised, and more connected communities.
Through years of consistent service, mentorship, education, and dedication, Deepika continues to play an important role in building and strengthening the community for students, staff, teachers, and people connected with HYA and BYS around the world.
Shailesh
Shailesh, a close friend & Younger brother of Himanshu, has been associated with Himalayan Yoga Association, Bali Yoga School, and the wider HYA community and its other businesses since their early days and has supported their journey with consistent dedication, trust, and commitment.
From the beginning, he has worked closely with Himanshu to help transform ideas and plans into practical realities, particularly through technology, digital development, and technical support. His contribution has played an important role in strengthening the digital foundation of Himalayan Yoga Association, Bali Yoga School, and the wider HYA community and its other businesses, while supporting their continued growth.
Over the years, Shailesh has remained closely involved through different phases of development, challenges, and expansion. His ability to understand ideas, find practical solutions, and execute them effectively has made him a dependable part of the community’s progress.
A significant part of his work focuses on using technology to improve the way the organisations communicate, operate, and connect with students and people around the world. He continues to support the development of digital platforms, systems, and new initiatives that help turn the broader vision of Himalayan Yoga Association, Bali Yoga School, and the wider HYA community and its other businesses into meaningful and functional experiences.
Beyond his professional contribution, Shailesh shares a very close bond with Himanshu and is considered like a younger brother and part of the family. He has consistently stood beside Himanshu through different phases of the journey, offering dependable support whenever needed.
Known for being a balanced, thoughtful, and grounded person, Shailesh is someone Himanshu can rely on for honest and practical advice. His calm approach, clarity of thought, and ability to look at situations realistically make his guidance valuable in both professional and personal matters.
His long-standing friendship with Himanshu, strong sense of responsibility, and commitment to the community have made him an important part of the journey. His consistent support, problem-solving approach, practical advice, and dedication continue to contribute to the growth and development of Himalayan Yoga Association, Bali Yoga School, and the wider HYA community and its other businesses.
Through years of collaboration, Shailesh continues to help bridge vision and technology, while remaining a trusted member of the family and community, supporting its growth, improvement, and the transformation of new ideas into reality.
Sumit
Dedicated, sharp and honest. He manages IT operations with expertise and care while supporting customer experience and wider operational work.
Priya
Renowned for her integrity and strong work ethic, she supports smooth daily online operations. Alongside her IT role, she holds a Master’s degree in Yoga.
Divya
A dedicated and honest professional with experience in accounting, group management and handling customer enquiries through digital platforms.
Together, our team supports the people, systems and everyday details that help create a welcoming and well-organised environment for our students.
