Nilakanta Sri Ram was International President of the Theosophical Society from February 17, 1953 till the day of his passing on April 8, 1973. During that time, he regularly wrote articles for The Theosophist, the journal published in Adyar, Chennai, India. Many of those articles are available through the Olcott Library. Others can be purchased through the Theosophical Publishing House. As President, Sri Ram lectured tirelessly in many countries around the world, visiting both North and South America, Great Britain, Europe, Australia, Africa, East Asia, and New Zealand. Transcriptions from many of those lectures have also been published—some in pamphlet form and others compiled into books. As a young man, having just graduated from Madras University in 1909, he worked for three years as a teacher and headmaster of certain schools supported by the Society. He and Dr. Annie Besant shared a passion for India’s eventual independence from British rule. Working closely with Dr. Besant, he served as editor of her nonpartisan weekly newspaper, New India. In addition, his journalistic career included the editorship of The Allahabad Leader, co-editorship of the political weekly Conscience, and membership on the editorial board of the New India Weekly. N. Sri Ram joined the Theosophical Society in 1908, a year before he graduated from Madras University. His father was already a devoted Theosophist and a great scholar of Sanskrit and Hindu scriptures. Sri Ram filled many offices in the Society, including those of Treasurer, Recording Secretary, and International Vice-President (1942/46). He was also Deputy to the President for the administration of the Adyar Estate at various times, and was acting President on the passing away of Dr. G.S. Arumdale in 1945, until C. Jinarājadāsa was elected President in 1946. As a result of his distinguished Theosophical career, Sri Ram has been widely recognized for his penetrating philosophical mind, for the lucid and felicitous manner of his presentations on Theosophy, and his balanced application of the timeless
