Trustees

Sri. Vasant Jajoo

Faculty Member

Vasant has done his M.Tech. in microwave engineering from I.I.T. – Kharagpur and has worked in cellular & satellite communication domain for 17 years for several MNCs both in India and abroad. In 2008, he decided to quit his corporate career/lifestyle to explore “meta” questions behind “life” and “sustainable” living. Since then, he has been volunteering his time for various NGOs & schools. He has attended several workshops and conferences on Yoga, alternative therapies, Vipassana meditation camps, sustainable living, science-spirituality confluence et.al. During this process and based on his own experiences, his conviction grew much stronger about the therapeutic aspects of Yoga and various alternative treatments. He shares his experiences and learning by conducting Yoga therapy classes and workshops in the space of “Health and Wellness” to enhance the “quality of life” of diverse segments of people.

Smt. Pushpa Rao

Treasurer

Pushpa is a native of Mangalore, Karnataka. She was brought up in Ahmedabad and Delhi. She is an Arts graduate from Daulatram college Delhi. She is the recipient of the Proficiency Award in Political science. A polyglot, Pushpa Rao is well versed in Tulu, Kannada, English, Hindi, Gujarati, Marati, and Punjabi.

A Banker by profession, she began her career at the Syndicate Bank in 1974 and has worked in many places all over Karnataka for a period of nearly 27 years. She is a mother of 2 children. Pushpa joined Yogakshema Rehabilitation and Wellness Centre in the year 2015. She has attended many workshops of YogaKshema and became a volunteer rendering support and service to spread the message of YogaKshema. She has undergone Yoga training – Sukshma Vyayama for senior citizens and has conducted Sukshma Vyayama sessions for senior citizens online.and at Ashraya old age home.

Smt. Pushpa Vellal

Secretary

Pushpa is an academician and a passionate educator with over two decades of experience in teaching. She has taught International Baccalaureate, Cambridge & CBSE curricula in India and Dubai with experience in Inclusive education also. Besides, her work experience includes working as a research fellow in the Institute of Wood Science and Technology and as a lecturer in NMKRV college for women and in Jain College Bengaluru.

With the right balance of firmness, love, kindness, compassion and inculcating good values among children, she sets high standards in the field of education. She worked as an Academic Director with Vani group of Institutions, Bangalore before taking over as Principal of Sri Vani Education Centre (CBSE) for more than 4 years. Pushpa Vellal’s educational qualifications include Master’s degree in Applied Botany and PGDM in Biotechnology. She has been a high achiever in her graduate and post graduate studies with a gold medal in Sanskrit.

Smt. Lalita Jajoo

LifeTime Trustee

Lalita is an architect (B.Arch.) by training and has worked in architectural firms in Bangalore. For the last 15 years, she has developed a keen interest in “Yoga” and its efficacy in day-to-day vicissitudes of life. She finally decided to switch from her career in “architecture” to spend time on her interests in Yoga. To deepen her understanding, she also did a “Post graduate diploma course on Yoga Therapy” from SVYASA centre at Jigani. She has also attended several workshops and conferences on therapeutic aspects of yoga, diet, Vipassana meditation camps, mind training, forgiveness et.al. She has been conducting yoga therapy classes for the last 13 years and is a faculty member for YogaKshema. She enjoys handwork and is interested in various hand-work activities like Zen tangling, painting, stitching, cooking, thrifting, upcycling of old waste material, gardening etc.

Sri. P.V. Maiya

Trustee and former President

Sri P.V. Maiya is a Lifetime Trustee and former President of YogaKshema Rehabilitation & Wellness Center Trust.

P.V. Maiya is basically a banker by profession. He has served the State bank of India for 32 years, including a four year assignment in USA and Canada. He distinguished himself in all his assignments. He wrote articles related to banking which were published in leading business dailies. He was a regular speaker and trainer on banking subjects. In 1993, the then ICICI invited him to start the ICICI Bank which he set up in 1994 as the first Chairman & Managing Director. The bank was the first to introduce internet banking facility in India during his term of office. The Bank now is the largest private sector Bank. On his retirement in 1998, he was invited to set up the second depository, namely, Central Depository System Ltd. A year later he decided to quit the full time job.

Maiya moved to Bangalore in 2002. Post his retirement, he was appointed by the Govt. of India as Director on the Board of Directors of Indian bank which then was considered a weak Bank. Since 2006, he has been an Independent Director on the Board of Canara Bank till July 2013. He now retains three Directorship, namely Brigade Enterprises Ltd Bangalore, Neuland Laboratories Ltd Hyderabad, and Ocean Sparkles Pvt ltd, Hyderabad.

Maiya is a Trustee of a school, and the President of Indian Musical Experience Centre which is in the process of bringing up a world class musical experiential centre in Bangalore. This will hopefully be the fifth such centre in the world. He is interested in a wide variety of subjects and is spiritually inclined.

Dr. Usha Vasthare

Co-founder

Dr. Usha Vashtare is the Co-founder of YogaKshema Rehabilitation & Wellness Center in 2007. She is a Neuroscientist, teacher, writer, and social worker.

She completed her B.Sc with rank and gold medal from Bangalore University, M.Sc with rank from Bangalore University, and PhD in Zoology/Physiology from Mysore University. Her Ph.D thesis was nominated for President’s award.

She was a faculty at Temple University School of Medicine for 17 years. Subsequently she worked as Clinical Project coordinator, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder, Pennsylvania Hospital, which honored her with Service Excellence Award.

Dr. Usha has contributed to 5 books which were used as part of CME (Continuing Medical Education) course. She has published more than 70 research papers & abstracts in reputed journals. She was academic Research Advisor for MDs, Post Doctoral Fellows, PhDs & Masters students, and has been trained in hospice care for terminally ill.

She has presented papers in many international conferences and has been interviewed on several TV channels in India and radio channels in India and USA.

She is involved in extensive service projects both in India and USA for over 10 years and is associated with several organisations and institutes.

Dr. Usha Vasthare has facilitated over 400 support group meetings at YogaKshema and conducted several workshops on Mind Training, Mindful Living, Healthy Living, Overcoming Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs), Forgiveness, Improving interpersonal relationships, Depression, Stress Management and various other topics. Her interest is in bringing the latest research in the field of Neuroscience & Evolutionary biology to the doorsteps of common people. She is an avid reader of Scientific & Spiritual literature. Her interest is to bring Science & Spirituality together for Holistic Living.

Mr. Nirmal Kumar

Former Treasurer

Mr. Nirmal Kumar was the former Treasurer of YogaKshema. He was a DGM of State Bank of India.