Indra Devi Biography 
Indra Devi was a Russian yoga teacher, who learnt this practise from Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, one of the foremost Indian gurus of Yoga, who lived in the 20th century. She was one of the early students of her guru, who later followed his legacy, and preached this practise in many countries. Her real name is Eugenie V. Peterson, born in Riga, Russian Empire. Often referred to as the First Lady of Yoga, she has been an actress and dancer, before mastering yoga. She also acted in a few Indian movies, adopting the screen name, Indra Devi. She had a rare opportunity to live in the last three centuries (1899-2002), and had a long life of 102 years like her guru.
Indra Devi was born as Eugenie Peterson on May 12, 1899 in Russia. Her father was a Swedish bank director, and mother, a Russian noblewoman. She learnt drama during her early days, and escaped to Berlin with her mother when Bolsheviks came to power. She was 18 years old then. She worked as an artist in Berlin. At the age of 15, she happened to read a book authored by Rabindranath Tagore and a yoga instruction book by Yogi Ramacharaka, and she got drawn towards India’s culture and yoga. In 1927, at the age of around 28, she sailed for India. She also adopted a Hindu name and worked in Indian movies. In 1930, she got married to Jan Strakaty at Mumbai.
In 1938, she became the disciple of Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, and became the first foreign lady among dedicated yogis. When her husband got transferred to China, she accompanied him, and as instructed by her guru, she started the first Yoga classes in China. People began to call her Mataji, which means mother, and she used to give free lectures. After the death of her husband in 1946, she moved to US the following year. She opened a yoga studio in Hollywood the following year, and in 1953 married Sigfrid Knauer. She taught yoga to many celebrities during her stay at US. In 1961 Indra Devi opened the Indra Devi Foundation in Mexica, and she moved to Argentina in 1985, where she finally settled.
Published: July 29, 2018
Updated: July 29, 2018
