His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (1896-1977), commonly known as Srila Prabhupada, is a world-renowned ​​teacher of Bhakti yoga and the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Inspired by his deep compassion for others and instruction from his spiritual teacher, he left India to come to America at the​​ advanced age of 70. His mission was to teach the science of Krishna consciousness, bhakti yoga, all over the world. His accomplishments are unheard of before in history, and his powerful legacy continues to inspire millions of people all around the globe.

In 1965, Srila Prabhupada left India to make his way to New York City, deemed the most important city in the world. He was given a free ticket to travel to America, and he was the only passenger on board a weathered cargo ship named Jaladuta. On his journey, his possessions  included: a suitcase, an umbrella, a supply of dry cereal, about seven dollars’ worth of Indian currency, several boxes of spiritual books, and fixed determination to spread Krishna’s message. Although he underwent great physical challenges, i.e. two heart-attacks; he was not deterred from his mission despite his old age and almost catastrophic health tribulations.

When he arrived in New York City in 1965, he had no connections, what to speak of​​ a place to stay, but he was determined and deeply motivated by his compassion for others. After some time, he began to give classes and acquired a storefront in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It was a hub for the counterculture (hippie movement), thus eastern philosophy and yoga were very attractive there. Many people started coming to his classes on the Vedic philosophy.

After gaining a steady following, he founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in 1966. Despite having few dedicated followers and only a small storefront, his vision for spreading Krishna consciousness was worldwide. As time progressed dedicated followers increased, and the movement soon spread to other cities like Montreal and San Francisco. In addition, the movement quickly spread​​ to other countries like England and Germany, and it attracted the attention of many popular celebrities such as George Harrison, Allen Ginsberg, and members of the Grateful Dead, who all contributed to the movement in great ways.