After a slew of failed attempts by yellow journalists such as Nakkeeran Gopalan and Shyam Meera Singh and by ethically questionable media outlets like NewsLaundry to target Sadhguru and the Isha Foundation, it is now the turn of the international media house The Times to cash in on Sadhguru’s popularity.
On May 30, The Times published a sensational headline:
“Revealed: Yoga guru’s retreat at centre of rape and sexual abuse claims.”
But what exactly have they “revealed”? In truth—nothing. They’ve merely republished the same set of fabricated allegations that have been recycled over the years by those who oppose Sadhguru and the work of the Isha Foundation.
Case 1: Background and Allegations
The article refers to three cases, the first involving a girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted while studying at the Isha Home School. At first glance, the claim appears serious—until you examine the details. The alleged incidents date back to between 2008 and 2010. That raises a fundamental question: What were they doing for the last 15–18 years?
To explain the delay, The Times spins a lengthy, emotionally charged narrative, claiming the girl was traumatized and remained silent for years. While such portrayals may work in fiction, they warrant closer scrutiny in the real world—especially when the timeline and facts don’t add up.
Case 1: The Facts
The Times has gone to great lengths to build the narrative, even claiming that the girl personally informed Sadhguru about the incident. Anyone even remotely familiar with how the Isha Foundation functions can see right through these bogus stories. Even when her mother withdrew her from the school in 2009, citing financial reasons, there was no mention of the girl having been subjected to any abuse. In fact, the parents later requested that she be readmitted to the same school. Why?
The girl herself described Isha Home School as “challenging, fun, and full of new things.” Why would she say that if she had undergone any kind of traumatic experience?
The truth may lie elsewhere—something few are willing to say aloud. According to sources, the child’s parent, who also volunteered at the Isha Center in the U.S., was expelled after reportedly being found involved in financial irregularities. Following her expulsion, she is believed to have waited for an opportune moment to target the Foundation. That moment appeared to arrive when the mother in the second case held a press conference against the organization.
Case 2: Background and Allegations
This brings us to the second case, which involved two minor students at the Isha Home School. The mother of one of the students, a woman named Yamini Ragani, along with her husband, held a press conference on October 17—just a day before a Supreme Court hearing on a petition filed by the Isha Foundation on an entirely unrelated matter. The timing of the press conference, held in the evening, appeared to be a calculated move clearly intended to influence the outcome of the hearing.
For context, the Isha Foundation had filed this petition in the Supreme Court after a contingent of approximately 150 police personnel entered the premises as part of an ongoing investigation. The officers questioned residents and even entered some of the most sacred spaces within the Yoga Center—raising serious concerns about due process and religious sanctity.
Case 2: The Facts
The Isha Foundation has issued a statement clarifying that the incident in question was a case of bullying between two minors. A detailed news report on this can be accessed here:
Isha Foundation refutes allegations of sexual assault on student
Following the incident, Isha Home School issued a migration certificate to the other student involved—effectively suspending him from the school.
Meanwhile, the child of the couple continued studying at Isha Home School for the next two years. He even wrote a positive testimonial about his experience at the school. In fact, Yamini later applied for admission for her younger son to the same institution. She also volunteered at Isha Home School during the 2023–24 academic year. However, her services were terminated in March 2024 after the school received complaints about her behavior from other students and parents.
These facts raise critical questions for anyone examining the allegations against Isha Home School:
1. Why did Yamini volunteer at the very school where she now claims her elder son was abused?
2. If her elder son was subjected to abuse, why did he continue at the school for two more years?
3. Why did he write a positive testimonial about his time there?
4. Why did Yamini seek admission for her second son to the same institution?
A few days after the press conference, Yamini’s brother, Praveen Rajkumar Kodi, issued a public statement disassociating himself from her and her husband.
In a post published on X, he alleged that Yamini and her husband had been extorting money from friends and relatives, and further suggested that they may be mentally unstable.
Statement by Praveen Rajkumar Kodi:
Essentially, the disgruntled parents in Cases 1 and 2 appear to have joined forces in an attempt to malign the reputation of the Isha Foundation and Sadhguru—an effort seemingly aimed at discrediting the transformative work the Foundation has carried out in improving the lives of millions across the world.
Case 3: Background and Allegations
The third case mentioned in The Times report involves a volunteer who alleged that someone at the Foundation “touched him inappropriately” or misbehaved with him. However, the identity of this person remains unknown, and no police complaint has been filed to date.
This raises a larger, more pressing question:
Why is an international media outlet based in the UK publishing a report about an alleged incident of “inappropriate touching” at a Hindu yoga center in India—thousands of kilometers away—especially when no verifiable complaint or identity is on record?
A few other critical questions also need to be asked:
1. What is the real motive behind publishing such an article?
2. Who is funding these malicious news reports targeting Sadhguru?
3. Who stands to lose from the positive, large-scale work being done by the Isha Foundation and Sadhguru?
Interestingly, News Laundry published an “investigative report” featuring the exact same allegations just a month ago. The uncanny timing and repetition raise serious questions about a coordinated narrative between The Times and its ideological allies within sections of the Indian media.
Here’s a video that debunks those allegations:
The Times and Its Anti-India Tirade
The Times has long been known for its leftist, anti-India agenda, openly displaying hostility on numerous occasions. They have consistently opposed Narendra Modi and the BJP. It is therefore only natural that they target Sadhguru—someone actively reviving the ancient spirituality of this land.
The Times aligns with figures like Arundhati Roy, opposes the Ram Mandir, and unsurprisingly, continues its opposition to Narendra Modi, as evident from the following posts
Indian liberals often take delight whenever Hindu gurus and institutions come under attack. It’s no surprise, then, that figures like Prashant Bhushan—a repeat offender—enthusiastically shared this write-up.
Sadhguru is undoubtedly the most prominent Bharatiya guru of our times. His growing popularity and positive influence on both young and old make him a prime target for liberals like Bhushan. They seem to derive satisfaction from spreading misinformation and keeping the masses in the dark. Their very existence appears tied to the decline and decay of Hindu culture and civilization.
A large section of the Indian population still carries the slave mentality imposed by colonial forces. Consequently, anything written by a Western media outlet is bound to be celebrated by those who seek to undermine our culture.
It is therefore imperative that every Indian who stands for Dharma speaks out against such propaganda.
