During the worldwide influenza epidemic of 1918, in the Kolar District of Karnataka, India, the eleventh of Bellur Krishnamacharya and Seshamma Iyengar’s thirteen children was born, He was named Bellur Krishramacharya Sundararaja Iyengar.

Guruji’s childhood development was constantly challenged by his weak constitution caused by the sickness in his birth year and subsequent bouts of malaria, tuberculosis and typhoid in his adolescent years Long periods of ill health meant that his schooling suffered. He managed to enter high school after passing his secondary school exams at age fifteen.

His health as a child was very bad. He desperately needed something which would help him to build up his health and not become a parasite to others. His health and economic situation made strong demands on him at such a young age. Poverty enforced a dependency on others just for his daily meals. He was suffering and had no one to whom he could speak about those early sufferings.

He was first introduced to yoga by his brother in law Sri T. Krishnamacharya, who offered to show him a few asanas for the good of his health. Though he began to practice yoga with the few instructions of his guru, he was aware that the medical people had said that he would not live long. This outlook sapped him totally. His mind was negative and doubtful, he found the work very difficult because his sick body could not take it. It was very difficult for him to accept and carryout the commands of his teacher.

As a very young man, he had to face the skepticism and derision of those who felt that he was perfectly all right and only wanted to depend on someone. At times even his relatives were all saying. “He is a worthless boy.” So he took it as a challenge that he would prove one day that his life could be useful, that he could stand on his own two feet. In those days there were very little choices open to him. Opportunities and family surroundings were limited. Consequently he had to accept the demands of his teacher. In this way that destiny came to play a very major role in his life.

The time he spent in his yoga practice, study and teaching left little time for his formal educational study. He failed in English. Financial aid to improve his qualifications for continuing his education was not available. The only option was to continue further with his yoga studies. Despite his poor performance in high school and having to drop out, he was first in his class at the Yogasala, simultaneously passing introductory, intermediate and advanced coursework in October 1935.

Dr. V.B. Gokhale, then civil surgeon of Belgaum, asked Yogacarya Krishnamacharya to send someone to teach at the Deccan Gymkhana Club in Pune, Maharashtra. Despite his own guru having taught and shown him very little, he was ordered to go. On his own, he embarked to Pune in August 1937.

His yoga classes at the Gymkhana were successful, but he was envied by the physical education teachers, who discouraged and even interfered with his teaching. One day they even maliciously bumed the items used for his yoga classes. Guruji remained determined and did not compromise. He fiercely maintained his independence not being swayed by their actions. This caused problems that led, in 1940, to his dismissal. Next he turned to giving private instruction to a few students, but he faced periods of starvation and extreme poverty because of meagre earnings.

By 1947 the numbers of students taking lessons from Guruji were increasing. Through yoga, he began to treat people who came to him and were suffering from various diseases such as polio, heart disease and backache. Slowly, his teaching was becoming known to the people if India.

With his vast experience and deep insight of practice of Yoga Guruji has invented useful props for the practitioner of Yoga. These props help the practitioner of any age group or patient of any ailment to enjoy the same effect of asanas as classical poses. This kind of innovation has never been attempted before and is an original contribution of Guruji.

Through his yoga sadhana his life was transformed from being a sickly child, without much hope or potential for a productive life and has resulted in him becoming one of this century’s most outstanding men, as recognized in 1997 by the International Biographical Centre of Cambridge, England. His life has developed to become like that of a Renaissance man whose genius has many facets : Yogi, artist, teacher, cultural ambassador, scholar, writer, scientist, healer and compassionate human being.

As a cultural ambassador, he represents the finest of India’s yogic tradition. His work has culminated in uniting people from all walks of life into the Iyengar Yoga community creating good will and love for India. He has received letters from ambassadors, high commissioners, charge d’affaires and department heads from universities and colleges acknowledging and appreciating his life and work on the yogic path.

His whole life exemplifies courage. He was not blessed with a happy and healthy childhood. He had to face economic hardships, indifference, neglect, ridicule, humiliation and harsh criticism. Yet throughout, he remained and continues to remain, true to his faith in his yogic practice.

For more on Guruji's profile visit www.bksiyengar.com