In a pattern seen around Shivaratri in recent years, the Isha Foundation is once again facing viral allegations online. Last year, YouTuber Shyam Meera Singh had drawn attention for promoting claims previously aired by journalist Nakkeeran Gopal, leading to significant digital traction and dispute.
This year, the same YouTuber is back with another allegation – but it fell flat within no time. He is also joined by a leftist favourite Mathur Sathya who also peddled unverified claims on the same topic.
What Happened?
A fresh controversy broke out on social media on 17 February 2026 after YouTuber Shyam Meera Singh shared a video purportedly showing children bathing at the Isha Yoga Centre, alleging that “half-naked minor girls” were filmed and the footage shared publicly by the Isha Foundation.
The post triggered outrage online, with Singh questioning whether sharing such visuals without blurring amounted to a serious crime. The video quickly went viral, sparking debate and calls for investigation.
Isha Foundation Issues Clarification
Responding to the allegations, the Isha Foundation issued a clarification rejecting the claims as “blatant misinformation.”
According to the foundation, the video did not feature minor girls but young boys aged between 10 and 18 participating in a supervised ritual dip. It stated that the participants were students of its male-only Vedic school, Samskriti Gurukulam, and that the ritual took place at Suryakund, a space designated exclusively for men.
The foundation accused Singh of presenting a “malicious and perverted spin” on the visuals and said the mischaracterisation misled the public about the nature of the ritual and the participants.
This is blatant misinformation. The video features young boys in a supervised ritual dip at Suryakund meant only for gents – not girls, as you falsely claim.
Your malicious and perverted spin simply highlights your intentions. High time action is taken against such individuals.… pic.twitter.com/7tyTbSHdrl
— Isha Foundation (@ishafoundation) February 17, 2026
Singh Deletes Post, Issues Clarification
Following the backlash and the foundation’s response, Singh deleted the original post and issued a clarification.
He stated that the confusion arose because the children had long hair, which led to an initial impression that they were girls. He also said the sequence of visuals, where girls were later shown clothed and performing yoga, added to the misunderstanding.
Singh welcomed the Isha Foundation’s clarification that the children seen bathing were boys and added that greater caution should be exercised while posting videos involving minors.
Mathur Sathya Echoes Allegations
Amid the controversy, Mathur Sathya, a member of Communist Party of India (CPI), ISCUF – South Chennai and also featured by leftist portal The News Minute, also amplified the claims, calling it “Child Abuse” and alleging that he had come across a “shocking video” showing around 100 half-clad children bathing, which he said had been posted by an Isha Foundation page ahead of Mahashivratri.
In his remarks online, Sathya called for police investigation, tagging law-enforcement authorities and stating complaints had been filed. He questioned the circumstances under which the video was filmed and demanded scrutiny of the ashram as well as the parents who had sent children there.
Even after the Isha Foundation’s clarification and Singh’s deletion of the original post, the video and allegations continued to remain on Sathya’s social media timeline at the time this report was prepared, drawing criticism from users who accused him of not verifying facts before amplifying the claim.
That perverted video has not even been removed yet.@tnpoliceoffl @tncybercrimeoff
When will you take action? Or will you at all? pic.twitter.com/SA7BnIMvBY— Mathur Sathya J (@captmatsat) February 17, 2026
Previous Controversy Involving Singh
This is not the first time Singh’s content relating to the Isha Foundation has drawn legal and investigative scrutiny.
In February 2025, he had published a video alleging exploitation of minors within the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore. The video, which echoed earlier allegations circulated by journalist Nakkeeran Gopal, led to a preliminary police inquiry after a complaint was filed by activist Piyush Manush.
According to a closure report filed by the Tamil Nadu Police on June 20, 2025, investigators found the allegations to be unfounded. The probe included interviews with 61 students from Isha Home School and Isha Samskriti, interactions with 13 staff members, former students, volunteers, and visitors associated with the foundation since 2017, and examination of purported internal emails cited in the allegations.
The cyber wing reportedly found no verifiable login activity linked to the email IDs referenced, and officials described the contents as “improbable” based on corroboration and child-welfare consultations.
Police concluded that no prima facie case existed to register an FIR and formally closed the petition.
Defamation Proceedings
Separately, the Isha Foundation filed a defamation suit before the Delhi High Court in February 2025 seeking removal of Singh’s video titled “Sadhguru EXPOSED: What’s Happening in Jaggi Vasudev’s Ashram.”
In an interim order, Justice Subramonium Prasad restrained Singh from publishing or circulating the video further and directed platforms including YouTube, X, and Meta to take it down. The court observed that the content appeared “per se defamatory” and described the title as “clickbait” aimed at damaging reputations.
Ongoing Information Dispute
The latest episode has once again proved that those who dislike Isha Foundation and their work seem to be pushing sensational narratives without verification, every single time the organisation is in the news – especially around Shivaratri.
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