Most people encounter yoga at a particular point in their lives. It might begin after an injury, through a recommendation from a friend, or during a period when they are searching for greater balance and clarity. For Anvita and Anvay, yoga arrived differently. They did not discover it so much as grow up alongside it.
Raised inside a century-old ashram, the siblings were surrounded by yoga from their earliest memories. Morning classes, mantra chanting, philosophy discussions, and meditation were not special occasions or weekend activities. They were simply part of everyday life. Looking back, both acknowledge that this environment shaped them in profound ways, although neither fully appreciated it at the time. What felt normal during childhood would eventually become the foundation for their careers, their values, and the creation of Yogic Gurukul.
This conversation is part of Evolve, TEGO's series exploring the journeys, philosophies, and practices that shape the Everyday Athlete.
Growing Up With Yoga
When asked about their first memories of yoga, neither sibling points to a particular teacher or class. Instead, they describe an environment in which yoga was always present. The yoga hall sat directly opposite their home, workshops happened regularly, and the sounds of chanting were often part of daily life.
"We honestly thought everyone grew up like this," Anvita says.
One of Anvay's earliest memories is a photograph taken when he was only a few years old. His father had asked him to sit in Padmasana for the picture. He was too young to understand the significance of the pose, but he remembers the feeling associated with it.
"I remember feeling very peaceful in that moment."
Neither sibling describes yoga as something they consciously chose. It was embedded in the culture of the household and the wider community around them. Alongside the physical practice, they were exposed to meditation, philosophy, and conversations about the deeper purpose of yoga. Only later, when they stepped outside the ashram environment, did they realise how unusual that upbringing had been.
When Practice Became Personal
Despite being surrounded by yoga from childhood, there was a period when both siblings viewed it primarily as something they did rather than something they deeply understood. That changed when life presented challenges that forced them to engage with the practice in a more personal way.
For Anvita, the turning point came after a serious knee injury disrupted her ambitions of becoming a professional badminton player. Sport had been a major part of her identity, and the injury created both physical and emotional challenges. During recovery, yoga became more than a childhood routine. It became a source of stability.
She found herself returning not only to the physical aspects of the practice but also to its philosophy. The experience helped her navigate disappointment and uncertainty while giving her a framework for rebuilding confidence. It also encouraged her to study yoga more seriously, eventually leading her to choose it as an academic subject.
For Anvay, the shift happened several years later. After going through a difficult emotional period, he enrolled in his first formal teacher training programme. For the first time, he encountered yoga not just as a practice but as a system of thought.
"It was the first time I realised there was so much more to it than what people see."
That understanding deepened further when he briefly worked in a corporate environment while simultaneously pursuing postgraduate studies in yoga. The experience highlighted how deeply yoga had influenced the way he viewed health, discipline, and lifestyle.
"I realised yoga isn't just a part of my life. It's part of who I am."
Although their journeys were different, both siblings arrived at a similar conclusion. The real value of yoga was not in the postures themselves. It was in the way the practice helped them navigate difficult periods, understand themselves more clearly, and remain grounded when circumstances changed.
Building Yogic Gurukul
The origins of Yogic Gurukul can be traced back to a period of reflection rather than a business opportunity.
After spending time in modelling and appearing on MTV Supermodel of the Year, Anvita found herself questioning what she wanted her long-term work to be. From the outside, things appeared successful, but internally she felt disconnected from a larger sense of purpose.
As she reflected on what mattered most to her, she kept returning to the education she had received growing up in the ashram. The philosophy classes and teachings that had once seemed ordinary now felt increasingly valuable.
During meditation, a single word kept surfacing: Gurukul.
The idea resonated because it represented more than education. It represented a way of learning that extended beyond information and into everyday life. The next question was what kind of Gurukul it would be.
The answer was equally clear: it had to be yogic.
When Anvita shared the idea with Anvay during the pandemic, he immediately connected with the vision. Both recognised that they had inherited a body of knowledge that had shaped their lives, and both felt a responsibility to make that knowledge more accessible to others.
Today, Yogic Gurukul represents their attempt to bridge traditional wisdom and modern life. Rather than treating yoga as a purely physical discipline, they aim to present it as a complete system that includes philosophy, self-inquiry, meditation, and personal development.
Showing Up Every Day
One of the recurring themes throughout the conversation is the distinction between yoga as a physical activity and yoga as a way of approaching life. Both siblings acknowledge that many people first encounter yoga through movement, but they believe the deeper lessons emerge over time.
For Anvita, one of the most important lessons has been learning to shift her focus away from outcomes and towards consistency. Growing up in a family with a long history in yoga naturally created expectations, both internal and external. Over time, however, the practice encouraged her to focus less on achievement and more on the simple act of continuing to show up.
"It changed my metric from success and failure to whether I show up every day or not."
That idea has influenced not only her relationship with yoga but also her approach to work, relationships, and personal growth. Progress, in her view, is built through repetition and commitment rather than occasional moments of achievement.
For Anvay, the practice has provided something slightly different. He describes yoga as a source of conviction, a framework that helps him make decisions aligned with his values even when those decisions are difficult or unpopular. Rather than offering easy answers, yoga has helped him develop a stronger sense of what matters to him and why.
This perspective also shapes how both siblings think about Yogic Gurukul. Their ambition is not simply to create another studio or educational platform. They hope to create a place where people can develop a deeper relationship with themselves through practice, reflection, and learning. In their view, the greatest value of yoga lies not in flexibility or physical achievement, but in the ability to remain steady through life's inevitable changes.
For both Anvita and Anvay, yoga has been a constant presence from childhood to adulthood. Over time, however, it has evolved from a routine into a philosophy, from an activity into a source of purpose. That journey continues to shape their work today, and it remains the foundation of what they hope to share with others through Yogic Gurukul.
The learning for us was that you don't get there in a single intense session. You get there by coming back. Again. And again.
For both Anvita and Anvay, yoga has been a constant presence from childhood to adulthood. Over time, it evolved from a routine into a philosophy and from an activity into a source of purpose. Yet the lesson they return to most often is surprisingly simple. The most meaningful changes in life rarely come from a single breakthrough moment. They come from repetition.
Whether it is a yoga practice, a relationship, a career, or a way of thinking, progress is built by returning to it consistently. Not when motivation is high, but when it isn't. Not when conditions are perfect, but when they aren't. You arrive by showing up, paying attention, and coming back again tomorrow.
