International Officers

The President, who is elected every seven years by members all over the world, attends to a voluminous amount of work in Adyar, interspersed with intensive tours to every part of the theosophical world which he or she must undertake.  Answering correspondence, meeting people, reading, writing, lecturing and talking, guiding and giving instructions on important matters relating to the Society, taking care of legal and social matters are some of the work a President handles.  The work is both mundane and spiritual, for along with administration and organization, wise guidance must be given, and the tone of the Society's role and function must be set.  Col. H.S. Olcott was the first President, then followed Dr Annie Besant, Dr G.S. Arundale, Mr C. Jinarajadasa, Mr N. Sri Ram, Mr John Coats and the present President, Mrs Radha Burnier - a succession of dedicated people with a record of selfless work.

The Vice-President acts on behalf of the President as necessary and assists him or her in various ways.  The Secretary handles a large worldwide correspondence, maintains records including statistics of the worldwide membership of the Society, its Lodges and Sections, and is responsible for producing an informative annual report.  The Secretary is also the Secretary of the General Council and the Executive Committee of the Society.  This Committee, which meets a number of times each year, implements the decisions of the General Council, and makes financial and administrative decisions relating to the Society's Headquarters.  The Treasurer is responsible for the finances of the Society, and prepares an annual financial report.