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Yogiar Ramaiah
Our Shuksma Vice President of the Yoga University of the Americas

The spiritual journey of Yogiar started even before his birth in the sense, when the soul was taking shape in his mother’s womb a Brahmin lady was engaged by his family to read the Tamil version of Valmiki’s Ramayanam, one of the greatest epics of India. A couple of hours were spent every evening to read Ramayanam, which is called Parayanam, with many folks enjoying the story of Sri Ram. Thus after his birth he was aptly named RAMAIAH (S.A.A. Ramaswami) after one of the ancestors of the famous S.A.A. family. Yogiar was born on 1923 May 9th Wednesday in ‘Ananda Vilas’ 29-A, Local Fund Road, Kanadukathan P.O., P.M.T. District, Tamil Nadu-630103, India. In the Tamil cycle of 60 years, it was Ruthrothkari aandu (year), month of Chittirai. His father was called S.A.A. Annamalai Chettiar and his mother was called S.A.A. Thaivanai Achi. His father was an extremely intelligent man with a very modern outlook and highly influenced by the western materialistic way of life. He was the first Indian who owned an Aeroplane with a license to fly. His grandfather has extensive business interest in India and abroad and was simple in thought, word and deed including dress and was a great philanthropist. His mother belonged to the well known S.N.S.S. family of Karaikudi. The maternal great-great grandfather of Yogiar is, Sathappa Chettiar, the progenitor of S.N.S.S. family with a great spirit of adventure like other Nattukkottai Chettiars, began his business voyage to Malaysia after performing his own funeral rites of shanthi! He was stranded on a night in a village. None dare open the doors fearing the marauders. With faith in Koppudai Amman, the Devi of Karaikudi, Sathappa Chettiar rested underneath a tree. Just then a strange, majestic person appeared on the scene. Sathappa Chettiar fell at the feet of the majestic personality who blessed him and asked him to thrust out his tongue. The divine visitor wrote the Bija Kali Mantra! After this initiation he used to get into trance state with manifestation of Kali. The mystery was solved and the missing links found when Yogiar met Sathguru Babaji who revealed the fact that He initiated Yogiar’s maternal ancestors into Kali Bija Mantra in Malaysia. Thus Babaji has been working on his mission through Yogiar and his ancestors for many a generations.
Yogiar had an attack of Polio (infantile paralysis) and physical therapy was not known those days. However he was rehabilitated by sesame oil massage, burying him up to thigh in the sea sand in Marina Beach, for 1 to 1½ hours daily. During this phase of life of Yogiar, entered his first Upa-Guru Chellaswami, who is not slave of attachments and as free as air to roam about freely everywhere. Every Jiva (soul) is born with this latent and potent aspiration to be free in the truest sense of the term according to the ancient Siva Yoga Siddhantham. Chellaswami the child saint, Chellam means sweet child and swami is one who has realized God. Sathguru Babaji brought this saint into the life of Yogiar and laid the foundation of the great Kriyas which He taught Yogiar with immortal love, the secret of His physical immortality. Yogiar has seen him in good health with velvety blackish brown skin, bald head and a beautiful slim body characteristic of Yogis who are described in the classical work as(veen sadai attra udal) one without unnecessary adipose tissues. Yogiar has never seen him without the bewitching smile. Always he was happy and in tune with the ultimate truth which he called “Onnu” means one. That was the secret of his eternal smile, Chellaswami, the prophet predicted decades ago that Yogiar will practice Pranayamam, which came true. Yogiar completed schooling with first class in Santhome Higher secondary School, Santhome, Chennai, and also Master Degree from Madras University, Chennai. His academic accomplishments are many and are listed in his Resume. No need to mention that he always stood first in whatever curriculum he studied.
Satguru Babaji started working on the next phase of his mission. He decided to bring two souls together. He has been working on it since 1942. In the year 1942 Satguru Kriya Babaji felt the need for a society in His name to propagate the gospel of Kriya Yoga. In the year 1944 He selected Yogiar assisted by others and prepared the groundwork for the founding of Kriya Babaji Yoga Sangam through which He could contact His devotees, the world over. In the year 1944, Yogiar had an attack of Sacroiliac bone T.B. completely ruining his glorious future of research works in the United States in Geology. One day in Santhome house near the window facing the sea, he got disgusted with life and decided to commit suicide by holding the breath. When he was about to about to collapse he heard a sweet melodious voice, saying “you must live to realize God and Practice Yoga”. Yogiar has been hearing that voice right throughout his life (sometimes during initiation into the Krisha Beejamanthram he was able to reproduce the voice to a large extent).
Later Sathguru Kriya Babaji trained Yogiar in all aspects of Saiva Siddthantham in the Himalayas and elsewhere. In the late 1950’s and early 1960’s Yogiar demonstrated his yogic mastery before teams of medical doctors varying his breathing and heart beat for a prolonged periods, varying his body temperature between 91.9 and 106.0 Degree Fahrenheit within a matter of few minutes and simultaneously manifesting the pulse of a dead man in one arm and double that of the average living man in the other arm. In this Yogi Ramaiah confirmed Kriya Yoga’s efficacy for awakening the great latent potentialities of all levels of consciousness.
As one of the world’s greatest exponents of yoga from a scientific standpoint, Yogi Ramaiah has written extensively on that subject. Holder of a master degree in Geology from Madras University a trained Physical Therapist, Prosthelist, Ortholist, Doctorate from Columbia Pacific University and renowned Scholar of Tamil Language. He worked to bring the attention of the world at large the Glory and Greatness of the Tamil Yoga Siddhas. Having access to the large collection of Palm Leaf manuscripts by the Tamil Yoga Siddhas, preserved carefully for posterity beyond the reach of white ants and other forces of destruction. Since 1953 Yogiar has been engaged in the formidable task of editing, translating and explaining the deeper meaning of these manuscripts. Fruit of this labor was the publication by him of thousands of verses of Great Scientific Siddhas, Agastiar and Boganathar which runs in to thousands of pages. Sadguru Babaji teaches that every aspect of life can be improved and perfected through kriya – Practical Yogic Technique for dealing with all dilemmas of life, material, mental and spiritual. Yogiar has lectured in hospitals all over the world on the use of Yogic Kriyas or Physical modalities for the treatment of patients suffering from diabetes, hypertension, polio, asthma, arthritis, cardio vascular disorders and drug abuse. Yogiar has demonstrated Yogic therapy, including Siddha Vaidhya, or the Siddha herbal system of medicine, as well as yogic kriyas, in combination with allopathic medical procedures, can cure diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, hither to considered incurable. Doing research work in sister sciences like orthotics, special orthoses have been developed to treat paralyzed hands (hand splints) and were presented in the Canadian Annual Conference of prosthetics and Orthotics by Yogi S.A.A. Ramaiah in 1970. Dr. Alphonso Caycedo, the president of the International Association of Psychosomatic Medicine and a former professor in Barcelona, Spain, has devoted one full chapter in his famous book, “India of Yogis”, in English and in Spanish, to this type of work done by Yogi S.A.A. Ramaiah and International Babaji Yoga Sangam. Spreading Babaji’s spiritual message of Unity in Diversity, Yogi Ramaiah has attracted thousands of students from all religions and all walks of life and has established centers all over the world dedicated to serving humanity. The practice of the advanced yogic kriyas taught by Yogi Ramaiah in these centers leads to an integrated development, experience of God on all planes of existence and complete surrender to a life of service. In 1976 Yogi Ramaiah chaired the International Parliament of Yoga and World Religions at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., which brought together religious leaders from all over the world to celebrate America’s Bicentennial by promoting religious unity in diversity. Continually spreading the message of the different world religions as different paths to the same goal and of Yoga as the practical side of all world religions, Yogi Ramaiah has lectured on television, radio and in person to millions of people all over the world. All who know him are deeply impressed by his dedication. Through lectures, Sadhana and other means Yogiar wanted to spread the message of Babaji all over the world and wanted to establish Kriya Babaji Yoga Sangam. Sathguru Babaji chose 1952 October 17th Friday afternoon between 12 noon and 3 pm, the sacred day of Deepavali for formation of Sangam. One year later Master gave out His date of birth and after that from the year 1953, Yogiar has been convening a parliament of All world Religious Yoga and Holistic Health on the eve of Babaji’s Jayanthi continuously every year without any break until he attained Mahasamadhi in 2006.
Yogiar established 54 centers all over the world to spread the torch of kriya yoga to nooks and corners of the world. Very often Yogiar quotes “what we have learnt is only handful, and what we have not learnt is vast like ocean”. Yogiar practiced what he preached and has been doing tremendous amount of research work right through his life. Yogiar was awarded Ph.D. in his early 80’s by Colombia Pacific University, as predicted by Prophet Babaji long ago. Yogiar stands at an important interface between Yoga and Science through his contributions to many educational institutions through lectures, books, research and his contributions to the World Health Organisation, World Congress, where he was awarded an Honarary M.D. in Alternative Medicine in 1983. As one of the world’s greatest exponents of Yoga from a scientific stand point , Yogiar under the inspiration of Sathguru Kriya Babaji Nagaraj has done extensive research work and collected many age-old Edu(palm leaves) of Siddah Boganathar and Siddah Agathiar and published Babaji’s Yoga of Boganathar and Babaji’s Yoga of Agathiar in many volumes and many more books and Yoga and Siddhas.
Yogiar as a practitioner of Siddha system of Yogic therapy, has lectured in hospitals all over the world and has cured hundreds of patients suffering from various diseases. Holder of a Doctorate from Colobia pacific university, a master’ s degree in Geology from Madras University, First class,First rank, a trained Physical Therapist, Prosthetist, Orthopedist and renowned scholar of Tamil Language, Yogiar has demonstrated that science and religion are not contradictory but complementary. Yogiar initiated more than 3000 Asana sadhaks all over the world into the Advanced phases of Tamil Siva Yoga Siddantham, particularly kriya Kundalini Pranayam (Breathing Techniques), Dhyanam (Meditation), Bija Mantras etc.,. Yogiar has travelled extensively across the globe and spread the science of kriya yoga. Yogiar is an embodiment of Guru Bakthi, surrendered to Babaji unconditionally by body, mind and soul, lived as a true example of Guru Disciple relationship. Working tirelessly unmindful of his health almost 20 hrs a day, surrendering himself at the lotus feet of Satguru Babaji he attained Mahasamadi on 2006 July 12th Wednesday 1.30 pm (IST) In the Tamil cycle of 60 years, it was Veya aandu (year), month of Aani at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. His divine physical plane was flown to India and was rested in Palani Andavar Mahasamadhi Shrine on 2006 July 18th Tuesday which was built by himself in late 1980’s. In spite of the transit period of a week’s time Yogiar’s divine Physical was glowing without much change.
As mentioned earlier, his spiritual journey started even before his birth, when he was in his mother’s womb. And carried further not only during the period he was in his divine physical body but beyond that in eternal by guiding, inspiring and tapping the sadhaks all over the world,to carry on the activities of the Kriya Babaji Yoga Sangam - The Master’s Mission. As Manikavasagar stated in Thiruvasagam, Yogiar Truly seeking Thy golden feet of Babaji has gained release (eternity) Ongaram dwelling in his Soul.
In our Yoga University of the Americas, we strongly believe that Dr. Ramiah is still living among us and guiding to develop the University, and teach Kriya Yoga and it's applications to the whole humanity.
Ohm Kriya Babaji Namah Aum.....