Aadil Palkhivala

Aadil Palkhivala is recognized as a leading authority in the field of yoga, with more than five decades of experience in practice and instruction. Palkhivala began his studies with yoga-asana master B.K.S. Iyengar at the age of seven, practicing regularly for extended hours each day. He became the youngest individual to receive the Advanced Yoga Teacher's Certificate from Iyengar at age 22. Palkhivala holds degrees in law, physics, and mathematics, and has contributed significantly to yoga education and teacher training.

Palkhivala, along with co-director Savitri, founded Purna Yoga, a holistic approach to yoga based on the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. Together, they established the Alive & Shine Center in Bellevue, Washington, which houses Purna Yoga College. The college offers 200-hour, 500-hour, and certificate-level teacher training programs licensed by the State of Washington and certified by Yoga Alliance. Through Alive & Shine, Palkhivala developed structured programs focused on alignment, yoga philosophy, and emotional awareness. Many of his trainees have gone on to become instructors, extending his influence across generations. As one of only six Advanced Iyengar teachers globally, Palkhivala was among the few offering teacher trainings in the Pacific Northwest.

Palkhivala is the author of "Fire of Love: For Students of Life, for Teachers of Yoga" and "SuperVision," which addresses eye health. He has co-authored five teacher training manuals with Savitri, utilized in beginning, intermediate, and therapeutic yoga teacher trainings. In addition to his books, Palkhivala has contributed extensively to Yoga Journal, serving as the Asana Columnist and author of the Teacher's Column for the website, as well as the Asana Expert for both the magazine and the website. He developed and taught the first year-long teacher training at YogaWorks and was a founder of Yoga Alliance.

Palkhivala has taught and lectured internationally, including at Yoga Journal Conferences, Omega Institute, The Himalayan Institute, Yoga International, Asia Yoga Conference, and Cologne Yoga Conference. His expertise in holistic health is supported by certifications in Shiatsu and Swedish bodywork therapy, clinical hypnotherapy, and studies in holistic healing and Ayurveda. Palkhivala's teaching style integrates clear instruction with poetry, philosophical insights, and humor. He also has a strong interest in the arts, including poetry, elocution, operatic singing, Japanese flower arranging, painting, and drawing.