About Monisha

Monisha Raja, a native of Kerala, embarked on her yoga journey at the age of four and has since dedicated over 23 years to teaching yoga in New York City. She was certified under the lineage of Swami Sivananda. Her encounter with COVID in April 2020 showcased the extraordinary pulmonary health benefits of her Yogic breathing and āsana practice. Notably, her remarkable recovery prompted her doctor at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City to encourage her to teach Yoga-For-COVID classes, which she has been conducting since May 2020. Pioneering evidence-based yoga treatment for COVID, Monisha collaborates with esteemed scientists and researchers like Dr. William Bushell and Eddie Stern, exploring the therapeutic potential and impact of yoga in treating the virus.

In 2021, Monisha established YOGA AID, a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring the roots and cultural origins of yoga, while also amplifying the voices of Indian and South Asians in the realm of yoga and health. Monisha embodies the practice through her activism and commitment to the principles of yoga ethics.

Under the guidance of Dr. Deepak Chopra, Monisha is a certified Chopra Ayurveda Lifestyle Coach and offers talks, group and individual sessions. Residing in New York City, she serves as a fashion educator at F.I.T. and Kent State Univ., and is the driving force behind a cruelty-free fashion footwear and accessories brand founded upon the yogic principle of Ahimsa (non-violence).

Monisha teaches in-person at Broome Street Temple, NYC.