Paramahansa Yogananda

About the author

Born Mukunda Lal Ghosh in Gorakhpur in 1893, Paramahansa Yogananda became the defining figure in bringing yoga and Indian spirituality to the West — earning the title "Father of Yoga in the West" from yoga scholars. A disciple of Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, he immigrated to the United States at 27, settling in Los Angeles by 1925 after a transcontinental speaking tour. He founded the Self-Realization Fellowship to disseminate Kriya Yoga, initiated thousands of followers, and built over 100 centers across India and the US.

The Los Angeles Times called him "the 20th century's first superstar guru.