Daijiworld Media Network - Mysuru/Virginia (USA)

Mysuru/Virginia (USA), Nov 13: Renowned Yoga guru from Mysuru Sharath Jois, who was teaching yoga in Virginia, USA, passed away due to a heart attack.

Sharath Jois was 53 years old. He had taught Ashtanga yoga to several global celebrities, including Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Sting.

It is reported that Sharath Jois suffered breathlessness when he was on a hike a little while after finishing classes and collapsed.

Sharath Jois left Mysuru last month for a tour of the US to teach yoga. He was expected to return to the city in December to conduct classes for a new batch, as confirmed by sources at the Sharath Yoga Centre. Sharath Jois is survived by his wife, two children, and several relatives, including his mother, Saraswathi Jois.

A grandson of the legendary Yoga guru K Pattabhi Jois, Sharath Jois had settled in Virginia, USA, where he ran his own yoga school. Like his grandfather, who was a prominent figure in spreading Ashtanga yoga worldwide, Sharath Jois continued the legacy of teaching yoga to students across the globe.

Sharath Jois, born on September 29, 1971, in Mysuru, obtained a diploma in electronics before embarking on a path in yoga. He learned yoga from his grandfather Pattabhi Jois and began practicing under him at the age of 19. As Pattabhi Jois aged, Sharath started assisting him, a practice that instilled in him the discipline and dedication needed to teach yoga to students in the future.

Following his grandfather's death in 2009, Sharath Jois continued teaching yoga and went on to establish the Sharath Yoga Centre in Hebbal on the outskirts of Mysuru.

Tributes have been flowing in from the yoga community mourning the sudden demise of Sharath Jois.

Mysuru MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, a member of the erstwhile royal family who contributed to popularizing yoga, expressed his shock and sorrow over Sharath Jois's death.

Yaduveer posted on social media that Sharath Jois was a highly respected figure in the yoga world who continued the legacy of his grandfather, Pattabhi Jois, in teaching and promoting Ashtanga Yoga globally.

Dr B P Murthy, yoga teacher and founder of Chaitanya Yoga Kendra, noted that the loss has been felt deeply among yoga teachers and students.

“Sharath Jois made significant contributions to upholding the tradition of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, popularized by his grandfather Pattabhi Jois, who had celebrities like Madonna among his disciples,” said Dr Murthy.

Ganesh Kumar, another yoga expert, said Sharath Jois continued teaching Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga to students worldwide after Pattabhi Jois's death, ensuring that Mysuru remained a renowned global hub for learning yoga.

His passing has come as a shock to yoga enthusiasts worldwide, and his legacy will continue to inspire future generations of yoga practitioners.