Papaji, also known as Poonjaji, awakened after meeting his master Sri Ramana Maharshi at the holy mountain Arunachala in 1947. Papaji spent the rest of his life transmitting this energy of self-realisation. First, he travelled extensively in India; often visiting sacred places such as Rishikesh and Haridwar and helping seekers who came his way. 

In later years he settled down in Lucknow and during the 1990s he became a magnet especially for Western spiritual seekers. Many of these seekers awakened with Papaji and were sent out as messengers or Papaji Ambassadors.  This initiated a Satsang movement in the Western world and helped spread the teachings of Non-Duality. Papaji passed away in 1997.