The Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga is an autonomous institution that is registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. This organization is fully funded under the Department of Ayush, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India. Located in the Lutyens Zone in the capital city of India, this institute operates with the mission and vision as “Health, happiness, and harmony through Yoga”.

Considering the emerging potential of Yoga as health science, the Central Council for Research in Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy sanctioned a five-bedded Yoga Research Hospital in 1970. This hospital was connected with Vishwayatan Yogashram, which was a private society in the same year. Later on, the scientific studies revealed the effectiveness of Yoga and its practices across preventive, primitive and curative aspects. After realizing the importance of Yoga as a discipline, the Central Research Institute for Yoga (CRIY) came into being on the 1st of January, 1976. With the establishment of CRIY, all the staff of the Yoga Research Hospital was absorbed in it.

CRIY focused on providing free Yoga Training to the general public and undertaking scientific research on Yoga and its various practices. Till 1998, CRIY functioned as an institution of planning, promotion, and coordination of yogic research. Apart from realizing the growing importance and the effectiveness of Yoga, the committee decided to establish a National Institute for Yoga. This institute was named as Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), and CRIY was merged in the same.