Discovered as a young boy in the early years of the 20th century, Krishnamurti was proclaimed a new world leader by Members of the Theosophical Society and, by the 1920s, was attracting worldwide press attention. Idealists, spiritual adventurers, intellectuals and philosopher alike flocked to his talks in their thousands, drawn to the idea of a new golden age and an esoteric Eastern saviour. Later Krishnamurti experienced a mysterious conversation, rejected the Theosophical Society that had moulded his identity and began to teach as a secular philosopher of spiritual nature, but with no affiliation to any sect. He rejected any claims to being a Messiah and indeed proved himself as capable of human weakness which gave rise to sexual scandal and accusations of chicanery. Krishnamurti died in 1986 having founded seven schools, published fifty books and toured the world talking and teaching.