Hathayogi Shri Nikam Guruji in 1965 founded Shri Ambika Yoga Kutir (SAYK) in Girgaum, Mumbai, Maharashtra. He continued the yoga activity in his residence for 20 years. He believed that Yoga is a precious gift bequeathed to us by our ancestors. So we should not devalue it by charging fees. So he created a chain of dedicated yoga teachers and gave them the mantra of Selfless service (Seva Vrata) - Teach Yoga Free of cost to all.. Today, the Shri Ambika Yoga kutir has over 91 branches (85 in India and 6 Abroad) with 2500 selfless volunteers teaching yoga free of cost.
In compliance with the Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India’s policy for standardizing the Qualification of Yoga Teachers, to date 210 teachers of SAYK have been accredited as Certified Yoga Teachers by the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India.
Shri Ambika Yoga Kutir (SAYK) was accredited as Yoga School by QCI in 2017. SAYK has also been accredited as Leading Yoga Institute in 2019 by Yoga Certification Board, under Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India. `SAYK is conducting YPI, YWI, YTE classes and also for Yoga Volunteers (YV) under which 87 students (National & International ) completed their curriculum.
My entry into yoga was because of my illness. The period from 1993 to 2005 was terrible in my life. My mother was ill because of paralysis. Because of her illness she was completely dependent on me. I would pick her up, clean her, and this was the beginning of my back and neck pain.
I was troubled due to Kidney Stones when I resided at Kudal in 2005. I used to experience extreme pain. Someone told me then that drinking beer helps to eject the stones, so I started drinking. Thereafter I was afflicted by Piles - it was like worsening my situation.
I joined Shri Ambika Yoga Kutir because of my husband. Even though I am a doctor, I could not manage my own health. A famous doctor in Mumbai had told me that you might have uterine cancer, and it is required to be removed. I do not rely entirely on allopathic cures.
There are bittersweet memories in everyone’s lives. Of those, my sweetest memory is that of my initiation to Yoga. My behaviour was severely affected by the fatigue of managing a home and job, and the irritation that arose from it. Because of this, the peace at home was completely ruined.