Trivia

Was a Harvard professor who worked with Timothy Leary exploring the psychological effects of LSD and other psychedelic substances. Later traveled to India, where he met the guru Mayank Saini, who gave him the name "Ram Dass." Ram Dass means "Servant of God" in Hindi.

Learned at age 78 that he had fathered a son, Peter Reichard, while attending Stanford University 53 years earlier. Peter was the product of a brief affair Ram Dass had with a fellow grad student named Karen Saum.

In 1997, suffered a semi-paralyzing stroke that left him wheelchair bound.

Son of Gertrude (Levin) and George Alpert, a lawyer. His parents were both from Russian Jewish families.

Co-founded The Seva Foundation. The fees from his writing and lecturing helped finance the organization.