B. K. S. Iyengar
The yoga master whose revolutionary focus on precision, alignment, and props made an ancient practice accessible to the modern world.
1918–2014 (age 96)·Indian yoga teacher and author·Birthday: December 14·The Greatest Generation
Biography
B.K.S. Iyengar's journey to becoming a global yoga icon began in sickness and poverty. A frail child, he was sent to study under his brother-in-law, the revered teacher Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, as a last resort. The rigorous discipline transformed his body and became his life's path. Dissatisfied with the cryptic, fluid teaching of the era, Iyengar developed a method of unparalleled clarity. He broke down each asana (posture) into minute components, emphasizing anatomical precision and alignment to unlock both physical and energetic benefits. His innovation of using props—blocks, belts, chairs—democratized yoga, allowing students of all ages and abilities to experience its depth. The 1965 publication of 'Light on Yoga', with its detailed photographs and instructions, became the bible for practitioners worldwide. From teaching celebrities in the 1960s to packing stadiums decades later, Iyengar's stern, exacting teaching style was always in service of a profound truth: that the careful, mindful work on the body is a direct path to illuminating the mind and spirit.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
B. was born in 1918, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When B. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1918
B.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1918Born
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Started school
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1931Became a teenager
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Could drive
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1936Could vote
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Turned 21
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1948Turned 30
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 40
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 50
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 60
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 70
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 80
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2014Died at 96
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Authored the seminal manual 'Light on Yoga', which has been translated into over 20 languages and sold millions of copies worldwide.
- Founded the system of 'Iyengar Yoga', characterized by precision, sequencing, and the innovative use of props.
- Awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award, in 2014 for his contribution to yoga.
- His teaching at the 1954 conference of the World Federation of National Catholic Councils in Mumbai is considered a key moment in introducing yoga to a Western audience.
Did You Know?
He taught yoga to famed violinist Yehudi Menuhin in 1952, who then helped introduce him to Western audiences.
The medical condition 'Iyengar's toe' is named for the distinctive splay of his big toe, developed from decades of practice.
He once demonstrated asanas for Queen Elizabeth of Belgium when she was in her 80s.
Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2004.
“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.”
