Paramahansa Yogananda was a renowned spiritual teacher and author, best known for his classic book Autobiography of a Yogi (1946), which introduced millions worldwide to yoga, meditation, and the philosophy of Kriya Yoga. Born Mukunda Lal Ghosh in 1893 in Gorakhpur, India, Yogananda became a disciple of Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri. He moved to the United States in 1920, founding the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) to spread teachings of meditation and spiritual living. He is often called the "Father of Yoga in the West" for his role in popularizing yoga and meditation in America. Yogananda's teachings emphasized the unity of Eastern and Western spiritual traditions, encouraging balance between material progress and inner realization.