Roerich's mother was a Russian woman named Helena Ivanovna Shaposhnikova. She was born in 1864 in Yaroslavl, Russia, and died in 1938 in India. She was a painter and writer, and was also a member of Theosophical Society. She and Roerich had three children together: George, Helena, and Svetoslav.
The Marvelous World of Nicholas Roerich: A Journey into the Art, Wisdom, and Legacy