Helena Ivanovna Roerich (born Shaposhnikova; ; 12 February 1879 – 5 October 1955) was a Russian theosophist, writer, and public figure. In the early 20th century, she created, in cooperation with the Teachers of the East, a philosophic teaching of Living Ethics ("Agni Yoga").<ref name="s2"><ya-tr-span data-index="224-0" data-value="Roerich (born Shaposhnikova) / Helena Ivanovna / New philosophical encyclopedia. " data-translation="Ro Рерих (род. Шапошникова) / Елена Ивановна / Новая философская энциклопедия. " data-type="trSpan">Ro Рерих (род. Шапошникова) / Елена Ивановна / Новая философская энциклопедия. </ya-tr-span><ya-tr-span data-index="224-1" data-value="— Moscow, «Misl» publishing, 2000. " data-translation="- М.: Издательство "Misl", 2000. " data-type="trSpan">- М.: Издательство "Misl", 2000. </ya-tr-span><ya-tr-span data-index="224-2" data-value="— V. 1–4." data-translation="- V. 1-4." data-type="trSpan">- V. 1-4.</ya-tr-span> Living Ethics / Russian philosophy: Dictionary / Edited by M. Maslin. — Moscow, «TERRA—Knizhnii klub, Respublika» publishing, 1999. — 656 P. Living Ethics / «Russian philosophy. Short encyclopaedia» — Moscow, «Nauka» publishing, 1995. — 624 P. Roerich Helena Ivanovna / Short philosophical dictionary / Edited by A.P. Alexeev. — Second edition, revised and supplemented. — Moscow, TK Velby, Prospekt publishing. — 2004. Roerich Helena Ivanovna / Big biographic encyclopedia. From Resolution of International public and scientific conference «Cosmic ideology is a new thinking of the 21st century»</ref> She was an organizer and participant of cultural activity in the U.S., conducted under the guidance of her husband, Nicholas Roerich. Along with her husband, she took part in expeditions of hard-to-reach and little-investigated regions of Central Asia. She was an Honorary President-Founder of the Institute of Himalayan Studies "Urusvati" in India and co-author of the idea of the International Treaty for Protection of Artistic and Scientific Institutions and Historical Monuments (Roerich Pact). She translated two volumes of the Secret Doctrine of H. P. Blavatsky, and also selected Mahatma's Letters (Cup of the East), from English to Russian. Life Early life Roerich was born in the family of Ivan Ivanovich Shaposhnikov, a well-known Saint-Petersburg architect. Ekaterina Vassilievna Shaposhnikova, Roerich's mother, belonged to an ancient Golenischev-Kutuzov family, which originated from Novgorod at the end of the 13th century. Significant members of this family included field marshal Mikhail Illarionovich Golenischev-Kutuzov, a well-known poet of the end of 19th century; Arsenii Arkadievich Golenischev-Kutuzov, composer; and Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky. Roerich grew up and was educated in the rich cultural traditions of her family. From childhood she was inquisitive, and independent. She showed talents in a number of areas, playing piano, and by the age of seven reading