Vidya Nahar - Yoga Journey Over A Lifetime!
Vidya Nahar, MSY, ERYT-500, embodies a lifelong journey of healing, teaching, and transformation through yoga. With over 40 years of personal practice and more than 21 years of teaching experience, she is a beacon of wellness for the northwest suburbs of Chicago through her organization, VYAYAM - Vidya's Yogasthal for Abworks, Yogasan, Aerobics and Meditation. ( www.vyayam.com ).
Born and raised in Mumbai in the 1970s, Vidya overcame chronic childhood illness through the power of yoga—an experience that sparked her lifelong passion. Her daily practice of Asana and Pranayama not only brought her health but also ignited a deep commitment to share this ancient wisdom with others.
In 2004, she began teaching yoga after completing her 200-hour certification from Lotus Yoga Teacher Training Center. Since then, she has developed and taught a wide range of yoga styles—Sarvang Yog (her own style - Spiritually Awakening, Rejuvenating, Veda-Aligned, Nourishing Gratitude Yog), Hatha, Vinyasa, Kriya, Chair, Yin, Laughter Yoga, Prenatal Yoga, and Yoga-Pilates Fusion—to a diverse community spanning ages 5 to 85.
Vidya completed her 500-hour advanced training at Rishikesh Yog Peeth in 2016 and has been offering a Yoga Alliance-recognized 200-hour teacher training program since 2017. Today, she teaches over 80 live classes per week, both in person and online.
In 2022, she earned her Master of Science in Yoga Therapy from Vivekananda Yoga University (VaYU), where she is now pursuing her PhD. Her YouTube channel ( youtube.com/c/vidyanahar ) features over 100 videos, including a unique 8-week research project on yogic prevention of hair fall.
A passionate community leader, Vidya has hosted free Sunrise Yoga in the Park every Friday of June every year since 2011. She has organized annual International Day of Yoga celebrations with yoga poster making and speech contests and free community yoga practice for all ages every year since 2015. She frequently offers specialized sessions on topics like “Yoga for a Healthy Back”, “Laughter Yoga”, “Chair Yoga”, and “Yogic Breathing Techniques.”
Vidya's work has been widely recognized, including the ICAN 2017 Award for Best Fitness Professional and second prize in the “My Life My Yoga” global contest by India’s Ministry of Ayush in 2020.
Positive feedback posted by ore than 340 of Vidya's yoga students can be read at Feedback - Yoga with Vidya Nahar, ERYT-500
More than 110 five star reviews of Vidya's yoga teachings at VYAYAM can be read at Google Maps
Through her tireless dedication and vibrant community presence, Vidya Nahar continues to inspire generations—proving that yoga truly is a practice for life.