Chopra was born in New Delhi and educated in India. He completed his primary education at St. Columba's School in New Delhi and eventually graduated from the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences in 1968. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1970, becoming board-certified in internal medicine and endocrinology , and after interning at a New Jersey hospital, trained for several more years at the Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Massachusetts and at the University of Virginia Hospital. He taught at Tufts University and Boston University Schools of Medicine, became the chief of staff at the New England Memorial Hospital and established a large private practice. He became a leader in the Transcendental Meditation movement, but later branched off on his own to pursue broader aims in mind-body treatment.

Chopra is Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director of The Chopra Center, which he founded in 1992 in San Diego; it is currently located at La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California with branches in New York City and elsewhere.

In 2004, Chopra was recruited to co-write a script with Indian film director Shekhar Kapur on a proposed film to be made about the life of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha.

In June, 2005, Chopra and Kapur launched a discussion blog  with a select group of Indian colleagues, friends, and family. The stated purpose of the blog is to present original voices from South Asia (particularly India) and discuss a variety of topics.

In 2006, Chopra launched Virgin Comics LLC alongside his son, Gotham Chopra, and Richard Branson, famed entrepreneur and thrill-seeker. The aim of the company is to promote and examine Southeast Asian themes and culture through the use of the traditional comic book medium.

Books
1987 Creating Health ISBN 0-395-75515-8
1988 Return of the Rishi ISBN 0-395-57420-X
1989 Quantum Healing: Exploring the Frontiers of Mind/Body Medicine ISBN 0-553-34869-8
1991 Unconditional Life: Mastering the Forces That Shape Personal Reality
1991 Perfect Health: The Complete Mind/Body Guide ISBN 0-517-58421-2
1993 Ageless Body, Timeless Mind : The Quantum Alternative to Growing Old ISBN 0-517-59257-6
1993 Creating Affluence: Wealth Consciousness in the Field of All Possibilities
1994 The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams
1995 The Way of the Wizard: Twenty Spiritual Lessons in Creating the Life You Want
1995 The Path to Love: Spiritual Strategies for Healing
1999 Everyday Immortality: A Concise Course in Spiritual Transformation ISBN 0-609-60484-8
2001 The Deeper Wound: Recovering the Soul from Fear and Suffering, 100 Days of Healing
2001 Grow Younger, Live Longer: 10 Steps to Reverse Aging ISBN 0-609-60079-6
2000 How to Know God : The Soul's Journey into the Mystery of Mysteries
2003 Golf for Enlightenment: The Seven Lessons for the Game of Life
2003 The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire: Harnessing the Infinite Power of Coincidence ISBN 0-609-60042-7
2003 Synchrodestiny: Harnessing the Infinite Power of Coincidence to Create Miracles ISBN 1-84413-221-8
2004 The Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life ISBN 0-517-70624-5
2004 Fire in the Heart: A Spiritual Guide for Teens ISBN 0-689-86216-4
2005 Peace Is the Way : Bringing War and Violence to an End ISBN 0-307-23607-2
2006 Power Freedom and Grace: Living from the Source of Lasting Happiness ISBN-13:978-1-878424-81-5
2006 Life After Death: The Burden of Proof ISBN 0-307-34578-5

Music CDs
1998 A Gift of Love: Love poems inspired by Rumi
2001 Soul of Healing Meditations - A Simple Approach to Growing Younger
2002 A Gift of Love II: A Musical Valentine to Tagore
2004 Chakra Balancing: Body, Mind, and Soul

Videos
2004 Soul of Healing - Body, Mind, and Soul Vol. 1