Shubha, the first PhD holder in yoga from MLSU, has been embracing life to the fullest while balancing her professional life with her passions. She encourages everyone to incorporate yoga and meditation into their daily routines and witness the positive changes they bring about.

Dr. Shubha Surana is a Yoga Trainer and an Assistant Professor at Sun College of Management and Science in Udaipur.

Shubha says that she has completed twenty years in the field of yoga. She shares that she had never thought of pursuing yoga and started with the commerce stream in her 11th standard, and thereafter, she pursued her Graduation in Commerce and Post-graduation in Accounting. She took some time from her studies and decided to do something else in her career, and at the same time, MLSU started offering diploma courses in yoga in 2004. She joined the Diploma Course in Yoga and was among the 25 students in the first batch of that course.

Shubha shares that she was the only student in the batch from an English medium background, and it was challenging for her to understand the typical Hindi words. However, she is fortunate to have had the support of her teachers, who guided her until the completion of the course.

Thereafter, she earned two Master Degrees in Yoga, one in Science of Living and Preksha Meditation, and another in Yoga Science from Vidyapeeth University. After that, she attempted the NET exam three times but could not clear it as she was engaged in her household responsibilities. She was simultaneously preparing for her PhD entrance exam and interview. She continued putting in her hard work and finally succeeded in her fourth attempt at the NET and topped her PhD entrance exam conducted by MLSU. She submitted her PhD within three years and got her PhD awarded on June 21, 2022, on International Yoga Day. She is the first PhD in Yoga from MLSU.

Sharing about her challenges, Shubha says that many difficulties came her way. She was expecting her baby at the time she was doing her MA, and she even appeared in her MA exams when she was six months pregnant. She had to face many rejections, but it did not deter her, and she kept moving forward and continued her hard work. She finally reached the path that she desired to walk on. However, she is proud of herself that she tried and succeeded in her life.

Talking about her achievements, Shubha says that she was the only person from MLSU to participate in the first G-20 Sherpa meeting held in Udaipur. After two months, she was invited to be one of the speakers at the G-20 University Connect meeting, sharing the stage with the Vice-Chancellor and other dignitaries, and had the opportunity to meet them. She also had the chance to meet Mr. Stanley Johnson, the father of the former Prime Minister of the U.K. She also gave yoga sessions to Selena Scott and Stanley Johnson, who came to her house to learn yoga, and they all together had lunch at the Ambrai Restaurant. She realized that your identity is determined by how grounded you are.

Shubha says that as yoga is such a wide subject, and there are already plenty of yoga trainers, she decided to choose a different path. She delivers lectures, organizes workshops and seminars, and spreads awareness about yoga. She also gives practice sessions at the insistence of her clients. She believes in living in the present and to the fullest.

When asked about her role models, Shubha mentions her yoga teacher, the late Vivek Singh Chauhan, who mentored her during her diploma in yoga. She is also thankful to Dependra Singh Chauhan, the yoga coordinator at MLSU, who guided her in her journey, and Shri Shobha Lal Audichya, who gave her the opportunity to host the International Yoga Day function held every year on Gandhi Ground in Udaipur from 2017 onwards. She feels blessed to have a supportive husband who has been a support system in her life.

Shubha’s message to everyone is that if any opportunity comes to you, do not reject it and strive towards your goals with dedication and positivity, and you will definitely achieve success. She says that if your hormone secretion is balanced, and you re mentally stable and happy, then you are fine. She stresses paying attention to your mental health, as it can help heal internally. She encourages everyone to inculcate yoga, asanas, pranayama, and meditation into your life and witness the positive transformation that it brings. She also advises having a ‘Sattvic Diet’ that will help in practicing yoga.

In her spare time, Shubha likes to sing, dance, cook, and explore places. She believes it is important to balance your passion and profession in your life.