Sri Aurobindo
Born: 1872
Died: 1950
Educated in England. Turned from militant
nationalist into a mystic while in the Alipur jai. Wrote over 60 brilliantly erudite books in four years. It is said that these books were channelled to him and none required revision. After that he never wrote again and rarely spoke. Gandhi offered Aurobindo the leadership of the Congress party but Aurobindo refused to meet Gandhi. His texts on the Vedas are considered unsurpassed. Declaring French born Mira Alfassa (The Mother) his equal partner was a provocation to conservative India as was opening his ashram to women. His ideas are kept alive in Auroville, a community dedicated to Human Unity.