Rajneesh
Religious Leader
Known alternately as Osho, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, and Acharya Rajneesh, this Indian spiritual leader and mystic penned hundreds of books and founded the Osho International Meditation Resort in Pune, India. His work influenced the New Age movement, and his international popularity continued to increase following his dearly death.
After earning a bachelor's degree from D. N. Jain College, he received a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Sagar.
He and his American followers created an Oregon-based spiritual community known as Rajneeshpuram. The community fell under intense scrutiny when some of its members were accused of launching bioterror attacks.
Born Chandra Mohan Jain, he grew up in India with ten younger siblings.
His opposition to Indian Independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, along with many of his other unpopular political, religious, and cultural stances, made him a controversial figure.