Baba Ramdev

-- Background: Born Ramkishan Yadav in a village in the northern Indian state of Haryana.

-- Age: Any talk of a revered guru's age is discouraged and considered almost blasphemous. Ramdev said reports that he was born in 1974 are incorrect, but he declined to disclose the correct age.

-- Spirituality: Ramdev meditated in a Himalayan cave from 1993 to 1996.

-- Fame: He has appeared on a religious TV channel daily since 2003. His show is the top-rated on Indian television.

-- Disciplines: He is a proponent of yoga and pranayam, breathing techniques, and ayurveda, the ancient Indian herbal healing system.