Founder of Gurukula UK, Portugal, India & Online and Senior Gitananda and Sanatan Yoga Teacher 
Yogachariya Jnandev Gir
D.Pharmacy, B.SC., M.SC. Preksha Meditation & Yoga, 3000hrs Intensive YTT at ICYER, India, MS Psychotherapy & Counseling
Surender Saini now known as Yogachariya Jnandev was born in a typical Hindu family. He grew up under guidance and blessings of his virtuous parents, loving and caring two brothers and a sister. This gave Jnandev a strong foundation of yogic ethical and moral life style. He also had great influence of his late Nana (grandfather), who was a great bhajan singers and spiritual story teller. He will also get Jnandev to read Ramayama, Mahabharata and other Hindu epic stories. This planted some seeds of spirituality, Hinduism and yoga in Jnandev’s young mind.
Jnandev began his career as a Pharmacist, but he did not enjoy that for too long. He found it not much of help in helping people to be healthy or happy. So, he went back to further education. Jnandev had great interest in science and hence went on to his graduation in Maths, Physics and Chemistry. These to aspects of studies have given Jnandev a much greater understanding of many yogic ideas and principals from scientific perspectives.
In 1995 during the Pharmacy course, he met with a friend who gave him initiation in some concentration practices, relaxation techniques and few asanas or postures to learn hypnosis. After few months of Trataka, relaxation practices and some visualisation, Jnandev felt drawn to learn more and more about hatha yoga, meditation and relaxation techniques and followed various ashram, yoga centres, yoga shalas as and when he could. Since then, he tries to do some his sadhana every day.
At the end of his graduation, he decided to follow the path of civil services in India and was preparing for competition exams for it. During this period his Sadhana also got deeper and deeper and he felt drawn to finding the true meaning of life through yoga. In this quest he arrived at Jain Vishwa Bharati University, Ladnun and 2000 and completed MSC in Preksha Meditation and Yoga as a gold medallist. Here he was blessed by presence of his Guru Sthita Prajna ji, who guided Jnandev on every level of his sadhana. Also, Jnandev spend most of time in one of the richest library, where he managed to read or study many original scriptures and manuscripts.
This was the time were Jnandev also started to write. Since 2000, Jnandev had written many articles, and research papers in India. This was the beginning point of this yoga course. Since then, Jnandev has visited and lived in many ashrams, and yoga institutes to learn, practice and grow in his sadhana.
From 2003 till 2006 Jnandev worked in one of the most reputed school in Jaipur (M.G.P.S, Vidyadhar Nagar, Jaipur). This gave Jnandev a new opportunity to explore various aspects of Hatha Yoga practices to benefits young children. Jnandev learned, followed and taught various hatha yoga kriya sets and asanas and mudras from beginners to advance levels during this time.
During this time to understand our mind from modern perspective, Jnandev also completed Masters in Psychotherapy and Counselling course (distance learning).
2006-07 Jnandev in search for advancing his own sadhana and yogic development arrived at Ananda Ashram, Puducherry. The six-month advanced yoga teacher training course under guidance of his now Guru Ammaji Meenakshi Devi and Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani completed Jnandev’s journey of search for true authentic yoga. This intensive six-month course in Gitananda Rishiculture Ashtanga Yoga gave a new life or birth to present Jnandev. Ammaji also gave the name and title ‘Yogachariya Jnandev’ to Surender at the end of course, which he uses in most parts of his life now.
All this time, Jnandev managed to not only do his Sadhana regularly, but kept writing his notes, practices, understanding and experiences of various practices, philosophical ideas and principles.
After meeting with his wife Yogacharini Deepika, Jnandev arrived in to UK in 2008. In 2009 he established Yoga Satsanga Ashram, Wales, UK and 2010-11 started to run first foundation course in Yoga compiled from all these writings and teachings Jnandev was working since 2000. Since then Jnandev has authored 9 books and more to be published along with compiling Yoga Teacher Training Course, Kids Yoga Teacher Training Course, Yoga Therapy Course and many other such courses with full assistance of Yogacharini Deepika.
The Sanatan Yoga primarily follows Gitananda Yoga, but also has a great in-put of teachings and blessings of Jain Vishwas Bharati, Hatha Yoga Guru Balendu Giriji, Mahavira Nathaji and many more divine souls. Blessings of Ammaji and Dr Ananda has kept, Jnandev on this straight path of Yoga.
Yogachariya Jnandev met his wife Yogacharini Deepika at Ananda ashram. They both had three lovely boys, growing in the Ashram and helping to grow and evolve every day. Since Jnandev came to UK Deepika has been a great guide, and contributor to his yoga journey. Deepika has worked very sincerely in helping Jnandev to bring this course to present form.
Since 2016 Yogachariya Jnandev with support of Yogacharini Deepika has also founded Gurukula – Home of Sanatan Yoga Sadhana and Education, Portugal.
May Divine and GURU (one who shows us path to self-realisation and guides from darkness to light) always bless us all together on this path of yoga to grow spiritually.
May the Divine and Guru gives us strength and courage to follow this path of discipline which can lead us union of body-mind-soul.
May divine bless with all with SAT-CHIT-ANANDA (divine love and bliss).