A Melbourne-based yoga organisation, led by yoga guru Rajendra Yenkannamoole (lovingly called Rajendraji), has been conferred with India’s prestigious Prime Minister’s Yoga Award, marking a rare honour that underscores the growing global recognition of Australian-led community wellness initiatives rooted in traditional practice.
The award recognises the work of Vasudeva Kriya Yoga (VKY) under the guidance of Rajendraji, whose decades-long contribution to yoga and community wellbeing in Melbourne and beyond formed the basis of the nomination.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally presented the award, making it only the second occasion since the awards were instituted that he has handed over the honour himself.
Selected from more than 369 applications worldwide, the organisation was acknowledged for its sustained grassroots impact and inclusive approach to yoga practice.
Rajendraji said he was “deeply honoured and humbled” to receive the Prime Minister’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Promotion and Development of Yoga in the International Institutional category for 2022.
He added that this recognition was not just an award for Vasudeva Kriya Yoga but “a celebration of health for humanity”, stressing that individual wellbeing is central to global health. Dedicating the honour to India’s yogic lineage and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said the award would further strengthen VKY’s mission to promote ancient yogic wisdom in a modern context, urging people to make health a priority. “Yoga is the key,” he said.
Community members described the moment as deeply emotional and symbolic. They called the award an “extraordinary achievement born of dedication that money cannot buy,” and paid tribute to Rajendraji and Sumanaji, saying both “deserve every recognition for years of selfless service, personal sacrifice and unwavering commitment” to the community, adding that their work continues to inspire and uplift those around them.
Phani Raj said the award was a “fitting recognition when a Yogi meets another Yogi.” He praised Rajendraji as a Yoga master and practitioner who has dedicated decades to teaching Vasudeva Kriya Yoga, which has operated in Australia for more than 20 years with successful branches globally.
“Hundreds of students from all backgrounds, ages and races benefit from VKY, where the focus is not just on physical exercise but on Ashtanga Yoga, continuous learning, mental resilience, and leading a balanced, healthy life,” he said. He added that Rajendraji and his family are “a great gift to Australian society,” taking personal care to guide both young and older students in reaping the full benefits of yoga.
Rita, a VKY teacher, said it was “a privilege for Vasudeva Kriya Yoga to be recognised by Prime Minister Modi as an international institution promoting and developing yoga.”
She praised Rajendraji’s guidance and dedication, as well as the support of Sumanaji and Amrut over the past two decades, which has grown VKY into a thriving community.
“As a teacher, I am inspired to share Guruji’s teachings with more people in Australia,” she said, adding that the award is dedicated to Bhagavan Vasudeva and welcoming all to receive His blessings at the Braeside centre.
Rajendra hails from the village of Yenkannamoole on the Karnataka–Kerala border in southern India.
Holding master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering and Business Administration, he began his yoga journey at the age of 10 under the guidance of Sri Yogeeshwar in Bengaluru, before deepening his practice and understanding under his guru, Paramahansa Swami Maheshwaranandji.
Rajendraji began teaching yoga in Melbourne in 2004 at the behest of Swami Ramaswarupanandaji, driven by a belief that knowledge must be shared for the benefit of society.
Over the past two decades, Rajendraji has conducted Vasudeva Kriya Yoga classes across Melbourne, with all proceeds directed towards humanitarian charity projects in Australia and overseas.
Rajendraji’s work includes yoga workshops for elderly residents in aged-care homes, programs for children with special needs, and regular yoga classes and seminars in schools and villages across India. Hundreds of participants have reported lasting physical, mental, emotional and spiritual benefits from the practice.
VKY operates through Vasudeva Kriya Yoga Mandir Ltd, a not-for-profit organisation registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. Established in 2024, the organisation focuses on integrating body, mind and soul to promote self-care, mental health and emotional resilience, while working to prevent abuse, trauma, self-harm, substance abuse and suicidal tendencies through accessible, evidence-based yoga programs.
The award was presented in the wider context of India’s renewed global push to position yoga and traditional medicine as credible, evidence-based pillars of modern healthcare. Addressing the closing ceremony of the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine at Bharat Mandapam, Prime Minister Modi highlighted yoga as an integral part of traditional medicine and a powerful tool for restoring balance in modern life.
Speaking to an international gathering of policymakers, scientists and practitioners, Modi said yoga has guided humanity across the world towards health, balance and harmony, stressing that restoring balance is no longer merely an ideal but a global urgency. He emphasised that traditional medicine, including yoga, must be supported by scientific validation, globally trusted regulatory frameworks and digital innovation.
Modi also expressed pride in the establishment of the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Gujarat, noting that it has emerged as a global hub for research, regulation and collaboration, reflecting growing international confidence in India’s leadership.
For the Melbourne yoga community, the honour represents both recognition and responsibility. The Prime Minister’s Yoga Award acknowledges not only the global spread of yoga, but the quiet, sustained work of teachers such as Shri Rajendra Yenkannamoole, whose commitment to service, inclusivity and wellbeing continues to touch lives across borders.
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