Himalayan yoga
Siddha Yoga of the Pilot Baba line: body, breath, meditation and mantra. Atma opens it to people who have never been to the Himalayas.
Mission
1
2
3
To bring Himalayan yoga to people and raise the awareness and energy of society
Atma received these practices from teachers in the Himalayas and passes them on: to students in courses, to groups at seminars, to everyone who watches his videos.
Awareness
Daily practice teaches you to watch your own mind at work. Students say this is where changes in their health and relationships began.
Energy of society
One calm, collected person changes the atmosphere at home and at work. The more people practise, the cleaner the field around everyone.
Life
From the first teachers to the Maha Kumbh
Key moments of his path, from his first teachers to the Indian media coverage during the Kumbh Mela.
- Over 30 years ago
The practice begins
Atma comes to yoga and Sanatana Dharma. He has practised every day since.
- Nepal and India
First teachers
Years of study with teachers in Nepal and India.
- Diksha
Initiation from Pilot Baba
Atma takes diksha and sannyasa. Pilot Baba, a teacher of the Himalayan Siddha Yoga line, becomes his guru.
- 2012
Life as a sadhu
Since 2012 Atma has lived as a sadhu, a monk of Juna Akhara.
- 2016
His own channel
Atma starts a YouTube channel. Today it has more than 360 videos and 2.7M views.
- 2024
His teacher leaves
In August 2024 Pilot Baba left his body. Atma carries his teaching on.
- 2025
Maha Kumbh Mela
In January millions of pilgrims come to Prayagraj. Indian media write about the Russian sadhu and call him Muscular Baba.
- Now
Kathmandu
Atma lives in Kathmandu. He runs live sessions, courses and seminars and is preparing a Kailash pilgrimage for 2027.
Title and lineage
What his name means
Name
- Atma
- the soul, the true Self
- Prem
- love
- Giri
- mountain. One of the ten monastic names of the Dashanami order founded by Adi Shankara, given at initiation into sannyasa.
- Maharaj
- a respectful form of address for a monk
Lineage
Himalayan Siddha Yoga, Trikhandi Mandir, Nepal
- 1Hari Baba
- 2Avatar Baba
- 3Pilot BabaSomnath Giri, left his body in 2024
- 4Atma Prem Giridisciple of Pilot Baba
Juna Akhara
The largest of the thirteen akharas, the monastic brotherhoods of India. Its sadhus belong to the Dashanami tradition and carry one of its ten names, such as Giri.
Pilot Baba
Born Kapil Singh. A fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force, he rose to Wing Commander and flew in the 1965 and 1971 wars. He left the service for monastic life and founded ashrams in India, Nepal and Japan. He passed away in 2024, aged 86.