Actually, it's a "who."  B.K.S. Iyengar is a man who celebrated his 85th birthday in December, 2003.  Perhaps more than any other yogi he has influenced how Westerners learn and practice Yoga. 

He has been practicing and teaching Hatha Yoga since his early teens.  When he started learning Yoga he had serious physical challenges that might have made it impossible for him to continue.  He discovered that, if he could find a way to help his body and mind achieve success, the success would improve his body and mind so that it became increasingly easy to achieve greater success. 

Building on that knowledge, Iyengar designed a set of simple props that helped him position himself into the Hatha Yoga poses.  This helped him overcome the challenges that faced him quickly, thoroughly, and safely, and helped him teach others to do the same. 

Iyengar's teachers and students observed this rapid success and told others how they, too, could learn quickly and overcome obstacles.  Soon, students were traveling from around the world to Iyengar's studios in Pune ("Pooh-nah") India (near Bombay,) to learn his techniques.  Many of them were teachers who incorporated his methods in their own classes. 

Iyengar's most dedicated international students wanted to continually improve the teaching methods pioneered by Iyengar, and ensure that those improvements were communicated quickly and consistently to the many "Iyengar-based" teachers around the world.  To accomplish this, they formed associations of teachers, and set standards that they and others must maintain to earn "Certification."  Iyengar himself is involved in that process.  Indeed, Certified Iyengar Yoga teachers like Peentz Dubble must travel to India and study for several months with Iyengar before they earn Certification.  They must return periodically and refresh their studies to maintain that Certification. 

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