The Founder and Director of the Yoga Vidya Niketan Shri Sadashiv P. Nimbalkar, son of a Primary School Teacher started his career also as a School Teacher and retired as Vice Principal of the Marwari Commercial High School and Junior College after rendering a long dedicated service for 32 years in 1984. During these 32 years, Shri Nimbalkar managed School Gymnasium, conducted various sports meets and various programmes on Discipline Management, First Aid, educational exhibitions, national propagation, etc. in the areas related to education in school. He also conducted Marathi classes for the benefit of non-Marathi students and Hindi classes for the benefit of non-Hindi students.
A successful dramatist, gymnast and a sports person, Shri Nimbalkar was also deeply involved with Homeopathy and Yoga. His association with a pioneer of Yogic Science, Swami Kuvalayanandaji, changed his entire life style. He then cherished the dream of taking Yogic Science to every household and commoners for their good health and for the development of their personality. He realised that the traditional method of doing yoga was difficult. He, therefore, started specializing in Yoga Education, Homeopathy and simplified methods of Yogic Practices.
He was initiated to Yoga and Yogic Science at Kaivalyadhama, Mumbai in 1957 by Swami Kuvalayanandaji, a pioneer of research in Yogic Science, who was the first scholar in India to give a scientific approach to Yoga. Association with Guru Kuvalayanandaji was a great fortune for Shri Nimbalkar as this gave him an opportunity to enlighten and enrich himself with a new vision, a scientific approach to Yogic Science. Hatha Yoga, which was deemed to be secretive, young Nimbalkar, took a challenge to take this esteemed science to masses and to spread Yoga to commoners for their welfare and good health.
At Kaivalyadhama progress of Shri Nimbalkar in the field of yoga was so amazing that he was chosen by Swami Kuvalayanandaji for yoga demonstrations before eminent personalities like first astronaut Mr. Yuri Gagarin. He continued as a teacher at Kaivalyadhama, Mumbai. From 1959, for the next five years he organized and taught the participants of Residential Teachers’ Training Course conducted during the Summer at Kaivalyadhama, Lonavala on all India basis. This course was recognized by Central Education Ministry.
Till 1974, he was teaching at Kaivalyadhama, conducting Summer Teachers’ Training Courses and classes for the Medical Officers. In 1974, he founded ‘Yoga Vidya Niketan’ in Mumbai to impart yoga education to commoners. He has been the founder Director of this institution. Through this Institution, he continued his work of familiarising masses of the benefits of yoga for positive health. All these activities are being done with a spirit of dedication and with a missionary zeal.