Logo

Annie Besant (1847-1933) joined The Theosophical Society in May 1889 and became Madame Blavatsky's devoted pupil and helper. She became a prominent worker in the Society and after the death of Col. Olcott in 1907, was elected president of the Society, which position she held till her death on 21 September 1933. Annie Besant established the Central Hindu college at Benares, which later formed the nucleus of the Benaras Hindu University, founded a weekly newspaper, Commonweal, owned New India (formerly Madras Standard) which she used to propagate the Home Rule movement, and started the Women's Indian Association. A strong supporter of India's freedom struggle, she was made president of the Calcutta session of the Indian national Congress held in August 1917. she also established the Indian Boy Scouts' Association which was united with the international movement according to Sir Robert Baden Powell's request, when she was made Honorary Commissioner for India, and in 1932 was awarded the Order of the Silver Wolf - the greatest honour that the Scout Movement could offer.