Presidents and Officers

International Presidents

    Colonel Henry Steel Olcott, President-Founder, 1875-1907
    Dr Annie Besant, 1907-1933
    Dr George S. Arundale, 1934-1945
    Mr C. Jinarajadasa, 1946-1953
    Mr N. Sri Ram, 1953-1973
    Mr John Coats, 1973-1979
    Mrs Radha Burnier, 1980-2013
    Mr Tim Boyd, 2014-

International Officers

    President: Mr Tim Boyd

    Vice-President: Mrs Deepa Padhi

    Secretary: Ms Marja Artamaa

    Treasurer: Ms Nancy Secrest

 

President

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, Mrs Radha Burnier and Mr Tim Boyd - a succession of dedicated people with a record of selfless work.
 

Vice-President

The Vice-President acts on behalf of the President as necessary and assists him or her in various ways.
 

Secretary

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.
 

Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for the finances of the Society, and prepares an annual financial report.

Official Journal

The monthly magazine The Theosophist, founded by H.P. Blavatsky in 1879

President's Event Archive (2014 and earlier)

1976-2014

    2014 - Mr Tim Boyd elected International President
    2013 - Mrs Radha Burnier passed away
    1980 - Mrs Radha Burnier elected International President
    1979 - Mr John Coats passed away

1951-1975

    1973 - Mr John Coats elected International President
    1973 - Mr N. Sri Ram passed away
    1953 - Mr N. Sri Ram elected International President
    1953 - Mr C. Jinarajadasa passed away

1926-1950

    1946 - Mr C. Jinarajadasa elected International President
    1945 - Dr G.S. Arundale passed away
    1934 - Dr G.S. Arundale elected International President
    1933 - Dr Annie Besant passed away

1901-1925

    1907 - Mrs Annie Besant elected International President
    1907 - Colonel H.S. Olcott passed away

1875-1900

    1875 - Colonel H.S. Olcott elected International President

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