INDIAN

Modern
Yogis
 MODERN YOGIS
Who have significantly contributed to the spread and development of yoga in contemporary
times, often blending traditional practices with modern perspectives. Tirumalai
Krishnamacharya is known as Father of Modern Yoga. Who revived and popularized yoga in
the West.

The List of Modern Yogis:

S No Name Date of Birth Place

1 Tirumalai Krishnamacharya 18th Nov 1888 Muchukundapura, Karnataka

2 Swami Vivekananda 12th Jan 1863 Culcutta, West Bengal

3 Swami Kuvalayananda 30th Aug 1883 Dabhoi, Gujarat

4 Swami Shivananda Saraswati 8th Sept 1887 Pattamadai, Tamilnadu

5 Paramahansha Yogananda 5th Jan 1893 Gorakhpur, UP

6 BKS Ayenger 14th Dec 1918 Bellur, Karnataka

7 Maharshi Mahesh Yogi 12th Jan 1918 Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh

8 Krishna Pattabhi Jois 26th July 1915 Hassan, Karnataka

9 Dhirendra Brahmachari 12th Feb 1924 Bihar

10 Swami Rama 1925 Garwal

11 Ram Krishna Paramhamsa 18th Feb 1836 Kamarpukur

12 Maharshi Ramana 90th Dec 1879 Tiruchuli, Taminlnadu

 13

Tirumalai Krishnamacharya

1988-1989
Krishnamacharya was a genius. A master, a teacher, a loving father, a patriot, a god
fearing soldier, a leader, a visionary and above all else the undisputed king of Yoga.
Father of Modern Yoga. He is profounder of Astanga Vinyasa Yoga, further developed
by Pattabhi Jois.
His guru was Ram Mohan Brahmachari.
His Disciples Are: BKS Ayenger, K Pattabhi Jois, Indra Devi
 He authored books are- Yoga Makarand, Yoga Rahasya, Yoga Valii
 Swami Kuvalyananda

1883-1966
Childhood name was- Jagannatha Ganesa Gune
 Swami Kuvalayananda, Researcher and Eductor, He was a prominent figure in the
field of yoga, known for his pioneering work in bringing a scientific approach to the
study and practice of Yoga. He is considered the "father of Scientific Yogic
Research Studies"
 Kuvalayananda's main mission was to connect the wisdom of ancient yogic traditions
with modern scientific understanding, validating yoga through empirical research. He
conducted the first-ever experiment on yoga in the Baroda State Hospital in the
1920s.

 Kaivalyadhama Institute: In 1924, he founded the Kaivalyadhama Health and Yoga

Research Center in Lonavala, India.

 He published the world's first scientific journal dedicated to yoga research, Yoga
Mimamsa, in 1924,
 Shivananda Saraswati

1887-1963
Kuppuswami was childhood name
 Swami Sivananda Saraswati was a revered yoga guru, Hindu spiritual
teacher, and proponent of Vedanta. Born as Kuppuswami in Pattamadai,
Tamil Nadu,
 His Guru was Swami Vishwananda Saraswati
 Founding the Divine Life Society: In 1936, he established The Divine
Life Society (DLS) in Rishikesh to promote spiritual knowledge and the
principles of Vedanta, Yoga, and selfless service.

 His motto: "Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realize".

 He emphasized the importance of Karma Yoga (selfless service), Bhakti

Yoga (devotion), Jnana Yoga (knowledge), Raja Yoga (meditation), and
Hatha Yoga (physical and mental discipline).
 Paramahans Yoganand

1893-1952
Mukunda Lal Ghosh (Chilhood Name)

 Paramahansa Yogananda was an Indian yogi and guru who played a

significant role in introducing and popularizing yoga and meditation in
the West, particularly in the United States.
 Yogananda's best-selling book, "Autobiography of a Yogi," first
published in 1946,
 BKS Ayenger

(1918-2014)
 His full name is Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar , Born on December 14,
1918, in Bellur, Karnataka,

 His childhood was marked by poverty, sickness, and frailty, with illnesses such as
malaria, tuberculosis, and typhoid fever.

 He began learning yoga at the age of 15 under his brother-in-law and guru, Tirumalai
Krishnamacharya.

 After he was become a popular Indian yoga teacher and author who is widely
recognized for popularizing yoga, first in India and then around the world.

 He founded the style of yoga known as "Iyengar Yoga,"

 He established, ‘Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute’ (RIMYI) in
Pune in 1975,
 Ayenger was the first person, who used modern instruments to help students achieve
correct alignment and a deeper understanding of postures.

 Awarded- Padma Shri(1991), Padma Bhushan(2002), Padma Vibhushan (2014)

 In 2004, Time magazine named him 1 of the 100 most influential people in the world.

 He authored several influential books on yoga practice and philosophy- Light on Yoga,
Light on Pranayama, The Tree of Yoga, Light on Yoga Sutra’s of Patanjali.
 Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

(1918-2008)
Mahesh Prasad Varma (Born)
 Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was an Indian Yoga guru and spiritual leader.
 He earned a physics degree from Allahabad University around 1940-1942.
 He became a disciple of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati (Guru Dev), the spiritual leader
of Jyotir Math, studying under him for about 13 years. Due to the caste system, he could
not be Guru Dev's successor.
 After Guru Dev's death in 1953, Mahesh Yogi spent two years in seclusion in the
Himalayas.
 He gained global recognition for his teachings on consciousness, inner peace, and
personal growth.
 In 1955, he began teaching a meditation technique, initially called Transcendental Deep
Meditation, which became known as Transcendental Meditation (TM).
 Starting in 1958, he toured the world and popularizing meditation in the West, teaching
TM to millions.
 The famous British music band ‘The Beatles’ met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in London
in August 1967 and later attended a seminar with him in Bangor, Wales.
 Maharishi's invitation to study at his ashram in Rishikesh, India, in February 1968.
 In that period at the ashram is considered a highly creative one for the band, where they
wrote many songs for "The White Album" and other future projects.
 Maharishi significantly impacted their music and helped popularize Transcendental
Meditation and Indian spirituality in the West.
 He founded organizations like the Maharishi University of Management, 1971
(US, Fairfield, Lowa) and the Global Country of World Peace.
 After he Maharishi Vidya Mandir established in 1983. Aims to develop students'
consciousness and potential to live a complete and ideal life.

Krishna Pattabhi Jois

(1915-2009)
 He was a pivotal figure in the popularization of yoga, particularly his development of
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, also called as ‘Mysore Style’.
 At age 12, met his guru, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. He studied traditional yoga
techniques under Krishnamacharya at the Maharaja's Palace in Mysore and
pursued Sanskrit and Indian philosophy at the University of Mysore.
 In 1948, Jois founded the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore,
 His influence spread internationally, beginning in 1964 with the arrival of Andre Van
Lysbeth, the first Western student.
 Van Lysbeth's book introduced Jois and Ashtanga Yoga to a Western audience.
 Famous book of Pattabhi Jois- YOG MALA.
 Swami Rama

(1925-2096)
Brij Kiśore Dhasmana (Childhood Name)
 Swami Rama (1925-1996) was an Indian yogi, spiritual teacher, and author known for
bridging the gap between Eastern and Western thought, particularly in the fields of yoga
and spirituality.
 He was a renowned yogi, scientist, philosopher, writer, and humanitarian.
 At the age of 24, Swami Rama became the Shankaracharya of Karvirpitham in South
India
 He pursued formal education in India and Europe, studying Western philosophy,
psychology, and medicine, reportedly obtaining degrees from universities in India and
Europe.
 He earned a medical degree from Darbhanga Medical College in India.
 He also studied in Oxford Universitiy, but he did not complete a degree there, He study
Western philosophy and psychology at Oxford, as well as at universities in Germany
and Holland.
 Founding the Himalayan Institute: In 1971, he established the Himalayan
International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy in the U.S. to
research and teach his ancient heritage.
 In 1989, he returned to India and founded the Himalayan Institute Hospital

Trust (HIHT) in the Himalayas.

 Ram Krishna Paramhans

(1836-1886)
Gadhadhar Chattopadhyay
 He experienced his first spiritual ecstasy at age six.
 He became a priest at the Dakshineswar Kali Temple and was a fervent devotee of the
Goddess Kali.
 He had early childhood experiences of Bhava Samadhi (a form of Savikalpa Samadhi)
while worshipping deities and portraying Shiva. He later attained Nirvikalpa Samadhi
under the guidance of his guru, Totapuri.
 He also experimented with various religious paths, including Vaishnavism, Tantric
Shaktism, Advaita Vedanta, Christianity, and Islam.

o Tantric Sadhana: Under the guidance of Bhairavi Brahmani, a female

Tantric ascetic, he undertook a rigorous course of Tantra Sadhana,
successfully mastering its challenging practices.

o Advaita Vedanta: He was initiated into sannyasa by Totapuri, a Vedantic

monk, and experienced Nirvikalpa Samadhi, a state of complete absorption in
the Absolute.

o Other Religions: He ventured beyond Hinduism, exploring the paths of Islam

and Christianity, experiencing the highest realizations through each. He even
had a vision where Jesus merged with his body after practicing Christian
prayers and rituals.

 After experiencing the all ways he expressed that "As Many Faiths, So Many
Paths", “Yato mat, tato path".
 MAHARISHI RAMANA

(1879-1950)
Venkataraman Iyer
 Born in Tiruchuzhi, Tamil Nadu, into an orthodox Hindu Brahmin family.
 Initially led a normal childhood, enjoying sports and schooling.
 At 16, experienced a profound and sudden fear of death, leading him to question the
nature of his self.
 Through self-inquiry, realized his true self was separate from the body and mind, a state
of pure consciousness.
 In 1896, He left home without informing his family and Arrived at Arunachala
(Tiruvannamalai) and spent the rest of his life there.
 Initially lived in temples and caves, embracing a life of renunciation. He absorbed in deep
meditation and periods of extreme asceticism.
 Maharshi resided in Veerupaksha Cave for 17 years (1899-1916).
 His profound peace, wisdom, and radiated spiritual energy attracted seekers from all

walks of life, eventually leading to the establishment of Sri Ramanasramam at

the foot of the hill.
 He continued to live a simple and humble life,
 His teachings focused on self-enquiry, emphasizing the path of direct experience of the
Self.

 He encouraged followers to ask "Who am I?" to dissolve the ego and realize their
true nature, pure consciousness, one with Brahman, the ultimate reality.
 His philosophy blended Advaita Vedanta with Bhakti, emphasizing devotion to the Self.
 Maya, in Ramana's view, is the veiling power that obscures the true nature of reality and
creates the illusion of a separate self and a diverse world.
 He taught that by removing the veil of maya through self-enquiry, one can realize their
inherent oneness with Brahman.