India Summer was born Jody Jean Olson on April 26, 1975, in Des Moines, Iowa. She grew up as an only child in a relatively conventional household, where she was an active student, running track and cross-country during high school. After graduating, she pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Education, intending to become a teacher, and worked as a lifeguard and in jewelry and hippie shops to support herself through college. Following her education, she spent six years in finance, working as a financial manager for the federal government, before transitioning into modeling and acting. Her ethnicity is a mix of English, German, Irish, and Native American descent, and she identifies as American. Professionally, she is known as India Summer—a stage name inspired by the phrase "Indian summer"—though she has occasionally been credited as India or India Summers. Her entry into adult content began in December 2005 at age 29, influenced by her prior experience as a swinger and encouragement from friends. She initially submitted modeling photos to directors and production companies, committing full-time to adult films by September 2006 after early shoots proved successful. India has worked with a wide array of studios and websites, including Girlfriends Films (where she signed an exclusive girl/girl contract in 2009), Wicked Pictures, Digital Playground, Brazzers, Naughty America, Penthouse, Evil Angel, Reality Kings, and Adam & Eve. Her filmography exceeds 1,600 titles, with notable movies like An Open Invitation: A Real Swingers Party in San Francisco, Perfect Fit (her directorial debut in 2011), Marriage 2.0, and Women Seeking Women.