Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, born Malti Shetty on June 24, 1955, is the spiritual head of the Siddha Yoga path. She received spiritual initiation from her guru, Swami Muktananda, at the age of 14 and became a renunciate in 1982. After Muktananda's death, she and her brother Swami Nityananda became joint heads of Siddha Yoga, but Nityananda left the path in 1985. Gurumayi expanded the Siddha Yoga teachings globally through lectures, Shaktipat Intensives, and the use of technology for live streaming. She has written several books and founded initiatives such as the PRASAD Project and the Muktabodha Indological Research Institute. Gurumayi's leadership and teachings have received both praise and criticism from scholars and devotees.