At the end of 1933, there were 4,544 members in the US and 4,078 in India, but there were 261 branches (lodges) in India and 171 in the US.

The above figures show that during a period of 27 years, although there was fluctuation in the membership numbers in both India and the US, India retained a strength in Lodge (Branch) numbers.

The decision of the Founders to move the Headquarters to India in 1879 and their active work and residence in that country certainly contributed for the strengthening of the Theosophical presence there, in spite of all the difficulties. And, according to HPB, they had certain very definite reasons for such a move. She wrote:

“While at Madras [May,1882], we were told that a well-known Tamil scholar, a Pandit in the Presidency College, desired to have a private conversation with us. The interview occurred in the presence of Mr Singaravelu, President of the Krishna Theosophical Society, and another trustworthy Theosophist, Mr C. Aravamudu Ayangar, a Sanskritist, of Nellore. We are no more at liberty to repeat here all the questions put to us by the interviewer than we are to divulge certain other facts, which would still more strongly corroborate our repeated assertions that (1) our Society was founded at the direct suggestion of Indian and Tibetan Adepts; and (2) that in coming to this country we but obeyed their wishes. But we shall leave our friends to draw their own inferences from all the facts.” (The Theosophist, July1882, “Coming Events Foretold”)

It is also interesting to note that out of the seven international Presidents of the TS so far only two were Indians (Sri Ram and Radha). Olcott was American, Besant and Arundale were English, Jinarajadasa was Singhalese and John Coats was Scottish. Obviously nome of them would have been elected without a considerable support of the Indian membership.

I’ll ask Olcott for some more specific stats and trends in membership and create a separate post to discuss them.

For me, the key issue revealed by the international election numbers is that of the 21,000 eligible voters in the world, 9,000 of them are in India. U.S.A. is a distant 2nd, with Italy the only other country above 1,000. I had no idea representation was so disproportionate.

Basically, no one can win without India.

They can also be found here at teozofija.

Thanks to Anton Rozman for providing.