Helena Ivanovna Roerich (Russian: Елена Ивановна Рерих; née Shaposhnikova (Шапошникова); 12 February [O.S.

In the early 20th century, she created, in cooperation with the Teachers of the East, a philosophic teaching of Living Ethics ("Agni Yoga").

She translated two volumes of the Secret Doctrine of H. P. Blavatsky, and selected Mahatma's Letters (Cup of the East), from English to Russian.

Her mother Ekaterina Vassilievna Shaposhnikova belonged to an ancient Golenischev-Kutuzov family, which originated from Novgorod at the end of the 13th century.

In 1895, Roerich graduated from Mariinsky Gymnasium in Saint Petersburg with a "gold medal", a special award for excellence in study.

She learned painting, knew Russian and European literature well, studied the history of religion and philosophy, and took great interest in the works of the Indian philosophers Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, and Rabindranath Tagore,[4] whose great-niece, Devika Rani Choudhuri, would later marry her son, Svetoslav.

After finishing her education at gymnasium, she entered the Saint Petersburg private school of music, headed by the pianist I.A.

After graduating, which was aimed mainly towards revealing the most gifted candidates who should receive higher music education, Roerich intended to continue her education in the Saint Petersburg conservatoire, but her relatives banned this, worried that she would be interested by the revolutionary ideas found in the student environment.

Thus, Roerich continued her education at home, where she perfected her grasp of foreign languages, and read many things.

It contains a quotation from N. Roerich's essay "The University": "I met Lada, my partner in life and inspirer, at Bologoye, at Prince P.A.

[10] In 1916, because of a serious lung disease, following the doctor's insistence, she and the Roerich family moved to Finland (Serdobol), to the seashore of Lake Ladoga.

Previously unknown mountain peaks and passes were mapped, rare manuscripts were found, and rich linguistic materials were collected.

Roerich shared all hardships of the travel with the others: hard passages, robber attacks, and obstacles created by English officials that nearly resulted in death of the expedition.

After finishing of Central Asian expedition, the Roerichs remained in India, in Kullu valley Himachal Pradesh.

It was planned as an institute for complex study of Asian regions which exerted influence on the development of world culture.

[15] Being a subtle art connoisseur and deep philosopher, she knew well the scientific problems of the institute, and often directed the researches as an experienced scientist.

[17] Helena Roerich had dreamed that a city of knowledge would rise in Kullu valley, which would become an international scientific centre.

In 1929, her work "Cryptograms of the East" ("On Eastern Crossroads") was published in Paris in Russian under the pen name Josephine Saint Hilaire.

Roerich devoted a special essay "The Banner of St. Sergius of Radonezh" to an image of the Savior and Defender of Russian land.

In her letters, Roerich answered numerous questions, explained the most complex philosophical and scientific problems, and the foundations of the Living Ethics.

[10] In January 1948, after her husband's death, Roerich, together with her elder son, moved to Delhi and then to Khandala, Bombay, where they waited for a steam ship from Russia with their entrance visas.

[20] On 15 October 1969 a minor planet of Solar System was discovered by astronomers of Crimean Astrophysical Observatory Nikolai Stepanovich and Lyudmila Ivanovna Chernykh.

[24] In April 2003, the college of arts named after Roerich began to work in the building of the "Urusvati" Institute (India).

[25] In 2005, the Helena Roerich Museum was opened in a retired two-storeyed mansion known as "Crookety House" in Kalimpong.

[27] A charitable foundation named after her was created in 2001 in Moscow to finance programs dedicated to popularising Roerich's heritage and the development of cultural activities.

One of the directions of the foundation's activity is the revelation of young talents in various fields of art and helping them to protect and develop their creative abilities.