Richard Hittleman (1927-1991) was a pioneering American yoga instructor and bestselling author who played a crucial role in bringing yoga to mainstream America. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he struggled with health issues as a child and discovered yoga as a teenager. After studying in India in the early 1950s, he returned to America and founded yoga schools across the country. His book "Yoga 28 Days" became a bestseller, selling over one million copies and introducing millions of Americans to yoga practice. Hittleman's simplified approach to yoga made it accessible to the general public and laid the foundation for the modern American yoga movement.