Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj was born on 24 July 1907, in Maharajganj, northern India, to an Irish mother and a Sindhi father.
When he was ten years, his Guru, Yogamaharishi Swami Kanakananda Bhrigu, (Ram Gopal Majumdar) entered his life.
For six years, he studied in the Guru Kula of his Master, imbibing not only the traditional education, but also Yoga, Tantra and Yantra.
After receiving his medical degree, he entered the British Royal Navy to serve as a ship's doctor during World War II.
He worked several years for the US Atomic Energy Commission in the United States and also took up assignments for World Health Organization in South America.
Yogamaharishi Dr Swami Gitananda Giri undertook the renovation of the ancient Samadhi site with great enthusiasm and built what was acclaimed as the Shanti Niketan of South India and An ideal Guru Kula on the Madam lands.
He was also the Governor-General for Yoga (1992–1995) in the World development Parliament (Vishwa Unnayan Samsad) with headquarters in West Bengal, India.
The Vishwa Unnayan Samsad at New Delhi honoured him in 1992 with the title Father of Modern Yoga Science.
Since then an International Yoga Competition has been held each year in various places in South America, India and Europe.