Theos-Talk Archives (July 2011 Message tt00081)

There is no good bio of Annie Besant for the period starting with her taking
over as TS President. Her contributions to projects affecting the welfare of
the Indian Society is coming out of the wood works.

Anyone familiar with TS history can recall the reception that Olcott and HPB
got at the Pachaiyappaâs High School after their return from England. The
school was founded and administered by Pachaiyappaâs Trust setup by the well
known philanthroper, Pachaiyappa. Later, the trust started a college in
Chennai (Madras). At that time there were only four colleges. One run by the
government, a Jesuit College,  a Protestant College and Pachaiyappaâs
College. The latter was the only locally funded institution. Now
Pachaiyappaâs College is a premier educational institution in Chennai and
many of the alumni have been leading politicians and social reformers.

I found out recently that Besant was instrumental in urging the
Pachaiyappaâs Trust to build land adjacent to the college and build a hostel
(dormitory).  She had the foresight of the need for a hostel to meet the
needs of students who come to Chennai for higher education. And the hostel
has served very well.

Much of the continued growth of TS in India can be ascribed to the work done
by Besant and other theosophists in India in the social and educational
field. The driving force behind this side of the activity is the first
object of TS - Brotherhood. Early letters from the Adepts make it clear how
important is this object to the welfare of the Humanity.

As a side comment, there are some discussions in recent book by Joseph Ross
on Krotona, Theosophy and Krishnamurti, about various attempts to tinker
with the three objects of the TS and how Besant was told by her Masters not
to meddle with them. It is Their baby and is still under Their watchful eye.

MKR


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