Bikram Choudhury

Bikram Choudhury is the controversial Indian-American yoga guru who founded “Bikram Yoga,” a hot-yoga method of 26 fixed postures in heated rooms. Explore his life, rise, legal battles, and legacy.

Introduction

Bikram Choudhury (born 1944 or 1946 in Calcutta, British India) is a yoga instructor best known for creating and popularizing Bikram Yoga, a style of “hot yoga” involving a fixed sequence of 26 postures practiced in a heated room environment.

While he achieved global influence and fame within the yoga world, his legacy is deeply mired in legal controversies, allegations of sexual misconduct, and debates about legitimacy and ethics in the yoga industry.

Early Life and Background

According to several sources, Choudhury claims to have been born in Calcutta (Kolkata), India in either 1944 or 1946.

He asserts that he began studying yoga under Bishnu Charan Ghosh from a young age (some accounts say as early as age four) and that he practiced intensively at the Ghosh “College of Physical Education” in Calcutta.

However, some of Choudhury’s early claims—such as winning multiple Indian national yoga championships as a teenager—have been questioned or contradicted by historical evidence.

He reportedly focused early both on yoga and physical culture (strength, bodybuilding) before refining his approach to postures (asanas).

Career, Yoga System & Expansion

Development of “Bikram Yoga”

Choudhury synthesized a sequence of 26 postures and two breathing exercises and packaged them into a 90-minute class held in a heated room (often around 40°C / 104°F).

He claimed that the heat helped prevent injury, increased flexibility, and simulated the climate of India.

Beginning in the early 1970s, Choudhury moved to the United States to teach yoga, opening his first studio in Los Angeles, where his approach started gaining attention.

In 1974, with help from pupils, he opened a studio on Wilshire Boulevard. Over time, the method gained traction especially among Hollywood and wellness communities.

By its peak, Bikram Yoga had become a major brand and franchise model, with teacher-training programs, studios around the world, and a devoted following.

Legal & right Claims

From the early 2000s onward, Choudhury attempted to assert copyright control over his 26-pose sequence, claiming others could not teach it without his authorization.

However, in 2015 a U.S. appeals court ruled that the yoga posture sequence itself could not be copyrighted; copyright protects expressive materials (written descriptions, images) but not functional ideas or methods.

This ruling allowed competing studios and practitioners to teach what had been labeled “Bikram Yoga” more freely.

Controversies, Lawsuits & Fallout

Choudhury’s public reputation has been overshadowed by serious and multiple allegations, legal judgments, and controversies.

• From around 2013 onward, several civil lawsuits were filed against him alleging sexual harassment, sexual assault, discrimination, wrongful termination, and misconduct, often involving his teacher-training programs and employees.

• One of his former legal advisors, Minakshi Jafa-Bodden, secured a judgment in the U.S. for over $7 million, and was awarded control over part of his yoga enterprise after Choudhury fled the country.

• In 2016, Choudhury left the U.S. and returned to India, citing financial and legal pressures, and he has largely remained abroad to avoid U.S. court jurisdiction.

• In 2017, a U.S. judge issued an arrest warrant for Choudhury after he failed to pay the judgment awarded to Jafa-Bodden.

• Despite legal challenges, Choudhury has continued to hold teacher trainings in countries such as Spain and Mexico, where he maintains influence in some yoga circles.

• A 2019 Netflix documentary, “Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator”, examines his rise and controversies, collecting testimonies from former students and critics.

Legacy and Influence

The legacy of Bikram Choudhury is deeply complex and polarizing.

Contributions / Influence:

• He brought the concept of hot yoga to global awareness and contributed to the commercialization and franchising model in yoga.

• Many yoga studios and practitioners have built on or reacted against his method, influencing the broader yoga marketplace.

• The controversies around Choudhury have spurred discussions in the yoga community about power dynamics, ethics, guru authority, consent, and accountability.

Tainted Reputation:

• His legal and moral controversies have led many studios to distance themselves from the “Bikram” name, rebranding to “hot yoga” or other nomenclature.

• For many, his example has become a cautionary tale about the cult of personality, unchecked authority, and abuses within spiritual and wellness communities.

Personality and Approach

From accounts of former students, media investigations, and court records, the following traits and patterns emerge:

• He could be charismatic, authoritative, and demanding, often pushing students physically and psychologically in his classes.

• He used strong, sometimes abrasive language or theatrics during his sessions, framing physical struggle as discipline or transformation.

• His leadership style reflected intense control over his brand, franchise, and student-teacher dynamics, fostering loyalty but also enabling misuse of power.

• He was aggressive in legal and business strategies (e.g. copyright claims, lawsuits, controlling teacher training).

• Some have described elements of cult-like culture within parts of his teacher-training programs.

Quotes & Public Statements

While Choudhury is less known for philosophical quotations than for promotional and confrontational statements, here are some illustrative lines and documented claims:

• In response to critics, he once said (referring to accusers): “Why would I have to harass women? People spend one million dollars for a drop of my sperm.”

• Regarding his stance on rights to his yoga system: he asserted that his series of postures should not be taught by anyone without his permission.

Given the serious nature of the allegations involved, many of his statements have been part of legal depositions or contested in court.

Lessons & Reflections

1. Power without accountability is dangerous
   Even in wellness and spiritual contexts, authority must be checked.

2. The commercialization of spiritual practices carries risk
   When yoga becomes a brand, the line between teaching and exploitation can blur.

3. Legal approaches can’t override ethics
   right claims over physical methods failed legally, and moral accountability remains essential.

4. Community and dialogue matter
   The yoga world’s response to Choudhury’s behavior shows the importance of transparency, redress, and ethical standards.

5. Reputation is fragile
   A towering influence can be undone when core trust and integrity are questioned.

Conclusion

Bikram Choudhury is a figure whose name looms large in modern yoga — both for bringing hot yoga into mainstream consciousness and for the profound controversies that have cast a long shadow over his legacy. His method influenced many, but his career also highlights the darker potentials of guru culture, unchecked authority, and abuse.