The 999th Birthday of Sri Ramanuja was celebrated yesterday

Sri Ramanuja Acharya was a great Hindu Philosopher and thinker (1017 CE-1137 CE). He is most venerated for the Vishitadvaita school of philosophy interpreting the Vedas.

He formulated Bhakti Yoga and these are some of his great contributions to Vedic Knowledge:

Vedhartha Samgraha (Summary of the Vedas)
Sribhasya (Commentary on Brahama sutras)
Bhagavadgita-bahsya (Commentary on Bhagavadgita)

Here are some important links;

http://www.saranagathi.org/acharyas/ramanuja/articles/life.php

http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Sri_Ramanuja_Acharya

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Ramanuja.aspx

http://www.britannica.com/biography/Ramanuja

http://www.srimatham.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549439/hagiography_of_ramanuja_acharya.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhakti_movement

The first of these links refers to Sri Ramanuja's Samadhi(the last resting place) being present in Sri Rangam although I could not find any other reference. His mummified body (according to the above link) it appears is in an excellent state of preservation.

Here is a picture off the bronze figure (I think) of Sri Ramanuja.

यो नित्यमच्युत पदांबुज युग्म-रुक्मौ व्यामोहस्त्दितराणि तृणाय मॆने।

अस्मत् गुरॊःदयैक सिन्धो श्रीरामानुजस्य चरणौ शरणम् प्रपद्ये॥

yo nityamacyuta padAMbuja yugma-rukmau vyAmohastditarANi tRuNAya mEne|

asmat gurOHdayaika sindho SrIrAmAnujasya caraNau SaraNam prapadye||

The source of picture is from an email I received from my cousin.

Although Sri Ramanuja is the most revered Acharya among Vaishnavas he was by no means the one who started Vaishnavisim.

The South Indian brahmins who call themselves Iyengars are Sri Ramanuja's followers. They were split in to two groups, the northern school(Vadagalai) and the southern school(Tengalai). The southern school's main emphasis was on Bhakti (devotion) alone.

The community of Iyengars  has produced people of national and international repute (I am not on this list but my friend is):
https://iyengars.wordpress.com/famous-iyengars/