Paramahansa Yogananda (1893–1952), author of the modern spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi and widely regarded as the father of Yoga in the West, contributed in far-reaching ways to a greater awareness and appreciation in the West of the spiritual wisdom of the East. Arriving in America from his native India in 1920, he established Self-Realization Fellowship that same year, and devoted his life to helping people of all races and creeds to realize and express more fully in their lives the beauty, nobility and divinity of the human spirit.

Recognized from the beginning as a landmark work in its field, Autobiography of a Yogi has been in continuous print since its initial publication more than 75 years ago, and remains one of the most important, and most readable, works on Yoga and Eastern spiritual thought. Among Sri Yogananda’s other publications are acclaimed interpretations of the four Gospels, (The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Christ Within You), the Bhagavad Gita (God Talks With Arjuna), and the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (Wine of the Mystic: A Spiritual Interpretation); a three-volume anthology series (Collected Talks and Essays on Realizing God in Daily Life); two collections of poetry and prayer; and numerous volumes of spiritual counsel.

An award-winning documentary film about his life and teachings, Awake: The Life of Yogananda, was released in 2014.

Today, the spiritual and humanitarian work begun by Paramahansa Yogananda continues under the direction of Brother Chidananda, president of Self-Realization Fellowship/Yogoda Satsanga Society of India.