About Us
Yoga Library is more than a studio — it's a community built on care, expertise and genuine connection. Founded by Ruchica Patni and Anand Goyal, we bring together yoga therapy, teacher training, retreats and corporate wellness under one roof, all rooted in the belief that yoga should meet you where you are — whether you're managing a specific health condition, training to teach, or simply looking for a moment of stillness in a busy life.
Our Founders
Ruchica Patni
Ruchica has spent the past 10 years teaching yoga, driven by a deep belief in the healing power of the science of yoga — a belief she has witnessed firsthand. Time spent at SVYASA's 450-bed Yoga Hospital, training under Dr. R Nagarathna — a pioneer of yoga therapy and Dean of the Division of Yoga and Life Sciences at SVYASA — showed her how yoga therapy could support people managing conditions ranging from rheumatoid arthritis and back pain to diabetes and cancer. It's this conviction that led her to found Yoga Library, built specifically around yoga therapy rather than general fitness instruction.
She holds a Bachelor's in Economics from the London School of Economics and a Master's in Yoga Sciences, and has trained under some of the field's most respected teachers in yoga therapy, including specialized training in kids yoga therapy for conditions such as ADHD and autism. She is additionally a certified Yin Yoga and pre/post-natal yoga teacher, a certified Meditation and Mindfulness teacher, and holds a Certified Personal Trainer credential from the American Council on Exercise (ACE). She also discovered sound healing after one transformative personal session left her curious to learn more, going on to become certified through the Sound Healing Academy.
She has studied under Dr. Vasant Lad, founder of The Ayurvedic Institute, and also holds a 100-hour Ayurveda Certificate for Yoga Teachers from Kaivalyadhama.
As founder of Yoga Library, Ruchica has built the studio's approach specifically around yoga therapy — organizing the Asian Yoga Therapy Conference in Bali in 2019, which drew over 400 participants and speakers including David Frawley, and currently serving as Joint Secretary of the Asian Yoga Sports Federation. Through her practice, she has helped many clients successfully manage and recover from conditions including slipped disc, sciatica, diabetes, anxiety and phobias. Her work has taken her to yoga centres across London, Hong Kong, Korea, India, Vietnam and Singapore, and she has spoken on topics ranging from Yoga for Osteoarthritis and Back Pain to Yoga for Mental Health and Cancer.
She has led yoga sessions during International Yoga Day at 50 centres across Singapore, reaching more than 3,000 people in a single year, and continues to support old age homes and the Institute of Mental Health with regular sessions.
Anand Goyal
Anand holds a Bachelor's in Engineering and a Master's in Financial Engineering from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh. He was drawn to yoga as a way to balance a busy corporate banking career, and is a certified yoga instructor from SVYASA as well as a certified Yin Yoga teacher.
His passion for yoga has taken him to centres in London, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Korea, Bali, India, Vietnam and Singapore. He conducts classes for students, corporates and personal training, focusing on Hatha yoga, and has led sessions of more than 300 people at community centres. He has also been invited by the Diabetes Society Singapore to speak on Yoga for Diabetes.
Our Senior Teachers
Malini Goyal
Dr Malini Goyal is an educationist and yoga enthusiast with a doctorate in Economics and 42 years of teaching experience in India, including as former principal of Mahadevi Birla World Academy, Kolkata, Lokhandwala Foundation School, Mumbai, and Mangalam Vidya Niketan, Kolkata. She currently supports Manovikas Kendra, an institution for special and gifted children, in an honorary capacity.
Vanasri Upadhye
Vanasri began her yoga journey in primary school and pursued a yoga instructor course from SVYASA. She holds a Master's in Computer Science from New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA, and conducts Ashtanga and Hatha yoga classes for adults and kids, as well as therapy sessions for migraine, diabetes, arthritis, back and neck pain, asthma, cardiac issues and menstrual cycle disorders.
Duraisamy Pushpalatha
Duraisamy holds two Master's degrees and two Post Graduate Diplomas, and has completed extensive yoga instructor and therapy training through SVYASA and other institutions. She was awarded the PA STARS Trainer Award (Merit) in 2015 and received a Certificate of Honour at the National & International Himalaya Yoga Olympiad.
Nathalie Sofia
Nathalie began practicing yoga in 2009 and completed a 200-hour teacher training with SVYASA in Singapore in 2017, followed by an alignment-based 200-hour training with Space and Light Yoga at Como Shambhala. She has since completed Yin Yoga and kids yoga certifications and continues to study Yoga Therapy.
Dr. Jeff Lou
Jeff began practicing yoga and meditation at age 8 and has studied Hatha, Ashtanga, Jivamukti, Yin, Anusara and Vinyasa styles. He is a qualified practitioner in Acupuncture, TCM, Shiatsu, Remedial massage, Spiritual Healing and Aromatherapy, and is a registered senior yoga teacher with Yoga Australia and ERYT 500 with Yoga Alliance.
Sarah Manning
Sarah has more than 24 years of teaching experience across Hatha, back care, prenatal, postnatal, fertility and yoga therapy. She conducts Yoga for Fertility workshops and Conscious Conception retreats, teaches the IYTA 50-hour Yin Yoga Teacher training course, and supports the National Arthritis Foundation with workshops for arthritis sufferers and their carers.
"We value our students deeply and are committed to supporting you at every stage of your yoga journey — with integrity, expertise, and care."