Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950) was an Indian sage and spiritual instructor, and is regarded by many as an enlightened being. He was a proponent of meditation and self-inquiry to remove ignorance and thought-illusion.
David Godman was born in Stoke-on-Trent, England. In 1976, he went to India to briefly visit the Tiruvannamalai ashram of Ramana Maharshi, but stayed to become the ashram's librarian. He went on to research and write about the teachings and life of Ramana Maharshi and his followers.