BACKGROUND Hypertension is an important public health issue and is one of the leading causes of death and disability. Yoga which aims at harmonising mind, body and spirit has been shown to be useful in individuals with hypertension. The objective of our study is to assess the effect of Yoga on Heart Rate (HR) and Blood Pressure (BP) in mild hypertensive patients (Stage 1 of JNC 7 classification) who are not in any form of medication. MATERIALS AND METHODS 50 mild hypertensives (28 males and 22 females) with systolic blood pressure (SBP) 140 to 159 mmHg and/or Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) 90 to 99 mmHg in the age group of 25-65 years, who came to practise yoga at the Yoga Training and Research Centre (YTRC bearing registration no. 38 of 1987) Kwakeithel, Imphal, were selected based on exclusion criteria. Heart rate and blood pressure were estimated before any intervention. Physiological parameters viz. HR response to standing (30:15), BP response to standing, Valsalva Ratio (VR) and Isometric Hand Grip test (IHG) were estimated to assess autonomic functions in these patients. They were subjected to yogic practices (Asanas, pranayama and meditation) for 1 hour in the morning each day for 6 days a week. After 3 months, the same parameters were estimated again. RESULTS We observed a statistically significant decrease in HR, SBP and DBP after 3 months of yoga training. It was also seen that 3 months of yoga training improved autonomic functions in mild hypertensives. CONCLUSION Mind-body therapy of yogic asanas has been found to be effective in reducing heart rate and blood pressure in mild hypertensives.