In 1950, at the age of four, Bikram began the study of yoga at Bishnu Ghosh's College of Physical Education located in Calcutta. Ghosh was one of the first to scientifically document the practice of yoga and its ability to cure chronic physical ailments. Bikram was only 13 years old when he won the 1959 National India Yoga Championship and remained undefeated for the next three years.

After an injury from a weightlifting accident doctors feared Bikram would never walk again. Bikram returned to Ghosh's school and developed this method to heal and in six months Bikram had totally recovered. Ghosh encouraged Bikram to start several schools in India and he has since brought his curative methods of yoga therapy to schools around the world.