An engineer who chose to teach calm

A lot of people dream of doing something apart from the ordinary, but few have the courage to go out and do it. Rajesh Jagasia happens to be one of those few.

A graduate in electronics engineering from Mumbai, Rajesh began his career as a software professional in the United States, while teaching Art of Living courses part time. It was only a matter of time before he gave up the software career to teach full time — and there was no looking back. Asked how it felt, he said it was like a rollercoaster: most people ride one once a year at an amusement park; he decided to take the thrilling ride for the rest of his life.

Teacher, mentor, youth icon

Rajesh became a familiar face on Indian campuses through the YES!+ (Youth Empowerment & Skills) workshop, which he has taught to thousands of young people. More than 25,000 students at IIT BHU, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras and IIT Kanpur have learnt breathwork and meditation with him. His witty, light-hearted humour and simple, practical way of explaining deep ideas have made him just as popular with corporate audiences.

He has taught in more than 20 countries — from India to the Middle East, the USA to South Korea, Russia to Brazil and Argentina — and to every kind of audience: royal families and free courses in the slums of Dharavi, doctors and prisoners, vice-chancellors and village youth.

Breath for people under pressure

A large part of Rajesh's work is with people in high-stress roles. He led SKY Resilience Training for more than 1,000 US veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars through Project Welcome Home Troops, and trained over 300 officers of the Fiji Army. In India he has run mindfulness workshops for 3,000+ officials at the Indian Police Academy and 600+ IAS, IPS and IRS officers, and has addressed diplomats from over 150 embassies and high commissions in New Delhi.

Leadership

As Director, Art of Living Programs, from 2017, Rajesh worked with 25,000 trainers to run more than 1,00,000 workshops across India. He designed the Executive Leadership Program for the education sector, attended by 5,000+ institute heads and vice-chancellors, and set up a strategic partnerships desk that signed some 300 MoUs with institutions. When the pandemic arrived, he helped move workshops online in seven days — 1,00,000 people joined in the first two months.

He also coaches leaders, managers and start-ups on empathetic leadership, sustainable growth and reducing stress at work — what he calls the five Es: energy, efficacy, economic efficiency, engagement and earnestness.

A school where there was none

While travelling to BHU, Rajesh passed through Aurwantand, a village in the Naxal-affected tribal belt of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Literacy was almost non-existent, malnutrition was common, and children dreamt of growing up to join the Naxalites. Under Gurudev's guidance, Rajesh opened a free school there that serves mid-day meals. Its first batches have since cleared their 10th standard exams, and many students have gone on to engineering colleges.

Social service has stayed central to his work: the Drug-Free India campaign he led reached 5,75,000 students across 500+ colleges in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Chandigarh, and the Vote for India campaign registered 5,00,000 voters.

Art of Living is about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Away from teaching, Rajesh loves food — cooking it, serving it and savouring every bite — and draws and paints whenever he can. You'll find plenty of both in his writings.