Radha Burnier

Radha Burnier (née Radha Sri Ram) (November 15, 1923 – October 31, 2013) was the seventh International President of the Theosophical Society (Adyar). Having taken office in 1980, she was the longest standing President of the organization (33 years), followed by Annie Besant (26 years).

Early life and education

Radha Sri Ram was born in Adyar, Chennai, India, on the grounds of the Theosophical Society (Adyar) estate at on 15 November 1923 into a Theosophical family. She was the daughter of Mr N. Sri Ram, who was the fifth International President of the organization and Srimati Bhagirathi, was also an active member of the Society. Although she was born a Brahmin, her family did not follow the exclusivist customs attached to their cast but adhere to the Theosophical ideal of universal brotherhood.

She was a third-generation Theosophist. Her grandfather, A. Nilakanta Sastri, was an early member of the Society, and much inspired by the Founders of the Society when they came to India and Madras.

She was educated in the National Girls’ High School, a school founded by Theosophists. Later on she went to the Benares Hindu University from which she obtained a B.A. with distinction and a M.A. on Sanskrit, standing first in that University.

Early in 1951 Radha Sri Ram married Raymond Burnier, a Swiss photographer, who helped her begin a brief film career. He had come to India in 1932 to photograph temple art, and met young Radha at Hindu University in Benares. They were soon divorced.

Dance training

Lord Mountbatten's comments on dance performance.

Programme from 1948 dance recital.

From 1938 to 1944 she studied classical Indian dance with her aunt Rukmini Devi Arundale at Kalakshetra, the Arts Academy that worked in the campus of the Theosophical Society. She was the first student to graduate in Bharata Natya from Kalakshetra and has gave dance recitals in many cities in India and Europe.

On July 10, 1948, Srimati Radha Sri Ram performed a dance recital at Government House in New Delhi for Lord Mountbatten and his wife, who were "much impressed by the beauty of her movements and the technical perfection of her performance."

A few weeks later, on the evening of Sunday, July 25, 1948, in the Theatre at Theosophical Society headquarters at Adyar, Miss Sri Ram gave a Bharata Natya dance recital to benefit the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund. The Prime Minister, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, was present, along with his daughter, Mrs. Indira Gandhi; the Governor and Lady Nye; Srimati Bhagirathi Sri Ram, the dancer's mother; T.S. President C. Jinarājadāsa; T.S. Vice President Sidney A. Cook and his wife Etha; and many local dignitaries. At the end of the performance, Radha delivered to the Prime Minister a check for the Relief Fund, and he praised her dancing.

Filming The River

Cover for the Movie The River featuring young Radha Burnier

She played a major role in the well-known director Jean Renoir’s classical film "The River" (Le Fleuve), based on Rumer Godden’s novel. The film was made in only five months, and was released in 1951. The producer, Kenneth McEldowney, made four trips to India in a year and half, trying to cast the role of Melanie, because most Indian women were not permitted by their families to perform in a film, especially in a role that involves a kiss. When he met Radha, he was skeptical until he saw her dance. He said, “She was magnificent. She is like a goddess.” His wife Melvina wrote, “I never knew a goddess could have such a delightful sense of humor, such honest intelligence, such understanding of people and still be so young.” Her family’s broad-minded view of culture permitted Radha to take the film role.

Shortly after her marriage, the Burniers travelled to Beverly Hills, and then to New York with the Renoirs. She wrote in a letter to James S. Perkins,

You must have read in the papers about my marriage with Raymond Burnier whom you met in our house at Adyar. This, and other business connected with the film, have forced me to change my plans. We and the Renoirs and some other people are going to New York where we will see the colour-print of the film. . . I am extremely sorry that I will not be able to be present at the Convention.

The film was well received and was influential to several Indian and American filmmakers.

Theosophical work

Radha Burnier joined the Society in 1935 when she was still 12 years old, and from 1945 onwards became actively involved with its various activities.

She was President of the Youth Lodge, Adyar Lodge for several years, and from 1959 to 1963 she was President of the Madras Theosophical Federation.

Besides her work as General Secretary of the Indian Section and International President of the Theosophical Society, she has been a member of the Society’s General Council since 1960, a member of its Executive Committee since 1957 and a member of the Adyar Estate Administration Committee since its inception in 1960.

She was also the President of several Theosophical centers in like the Krotona Institute of Theosophy in Ojai, California, USA, The Manor Centre in Sydney, Australia, and the International Theosophical Centre in Naarden, Holland.

Indian Section

From 1945 to 1951, while pursuing her studies at the Benares Hindu University, she was active at the national headquarters of the Indian Section of the Theosophical Society at Varanasi (Benares), where she served as Librarian of the Section.

In 1960 Mrs Burnier was elected as General Secretary of the Indian Section of the Theosophical Society and stayed in office for eighteen years. During that time she lectured extensively throughout India and the world on theosophical, philosophical and cultural subjects.

Adyar Library and Research Centre

From 1954 to 1959 she was the Assistant Director of the Adyar Library and Research Centre founded by Col. Olcott. From 1959 until 1980 she was its Director. In this capacity, she was the editor of the Library’s Research journal Brahmavidya and supervised its publications.

Mrs. Burnier translated several Sanskrit works, such as the Hatha-yoga-pradipika, a well-known manual on Hatha Yoga, and the chapter on dance in the Samgita-ratnâkara, a classic work on music and dance.

After being chosen as International President of the Theosophical Society (Adyar she continued to be on the editorial board of the Library’s annual journal on Indology.

President of the Theosophical Society

Mrs. Burnier was elected International President of the Theosophical Society (Adyar) on July 4 1980, and took office on 17 July. She was eventually re-elected five times in that office. She was the seventh person to hold this office in the Society since it was founded in 1875, and was the longest standing President (33 years), followed by Annie Besant (26 years).

She presided over four World Congresses of the Theosophical Society: 1982 in Nairobi, Kenya; 1993 in Brasilia, Brazil, 2001 in Sydney, Australia; and 2010 in Rome, Italy.

Writings

Besides her translation from Sanskrit works such as the Hathayogapradipika, the dance chapter of Samgitaratnakara, and others, she wrote many articles and authored several books and booklets:

• No Other Path to Go

• Truth, Beauty and Goodness

• The Way of Self-Knowledge

• The Universal Yoga Tradition

• Human Regeneration

• The World Around Us

Other activities

Mrs. Radha Burnier was involved in many cultural, educational, and spiritual activities and organizations.

She was the Secretary of the Cultural Association of Varanasi.

Co-Freemasonry

M. Ill. Bro. Radha Burnier 33°, was the Grand Master of the Eastern Order of International Co-Freemasonry and President of its Supreme Council from 2001 to 2013. Before, she had been a member of the Order "Le Droit Humain".

New Life for India

In 1968 Mrs. Burnier became the Founder-President of the New Life for India Movement, whose aim is to create an awareness in Indian youth of right citizenship, right values and right means of livelihood. Its journal is Wake Up India.

Beauty Without Cruelty

Beauty Without Cruelty is an animal rights movement, derived from a British company that manufacturers vegan cosmetics without animal-derived components or animal testing. It was established by Theosophists Lord Hugh Dowding and Lady Muriel Dowding. The Theosophical Order of Service works with BWC, which has centers in Adyar and Varanasi, India.

Work in Education

While in Varanasi, from 1960 to 1972, Mrs. Burnier was the Manager of the Besant Theosophical School, and the Theosophical School, college and hostel for girls in that city.

She was Chairman of the Olcott Education Society, Chennai, whose concern is the education and welfare of the underprivileged, and of the Besant Education Fellowship.

Krishnamurti

J. Krishnamurti with Mrs. Burnier

Mrs. Burnier was a close associate of Jiddu Krishnamurti. They had known each other from the time he was a young man at Adyar and she was a child. He always treated her with much affection.

On November 4, 1980, at her invitation, Krishnamurti visited Adyar after an absence of 47 years. He walked with her and a number of residents from the main gate of the compound to the sea-shore and visited the beach where he was discovered, in 1909, by C. W. Leadbeater. Two years later, in December 1982, during the Adyar Centenary Convention of the Theosophical Society, Krishnamurti planted a Bodhi tree at Adyar.

After this, whenever he was in Madras, he would visit her house at Adyar and walk with her on the beach he was first "discovered".

Krishnamurti Foundation

Mrs. Burnier was a Trustee of the Krishnamurti Foundation India.

Awards

In January 1984, the Nagarjuna University conferred on her the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters in recognition of her "distinguished contribution to the advancement of learning and the promotion of human values".

On March 5, 2008, Chennaionline conferred the Golden Lotus Award on Radha Burnier at function in Chennai. The Award Carries a Golden Lotus, a Citation and a purse. Mrs Akhila Srinivasan, Managing Director in the Five thousand-crore Shriram Group presented this award, the citation and a purse to the eighty-four year young girl of Chennai.

Online resources

Articles

By Radha Burnier

• Various Articles by Radha Burnier at KatinkaHesselink.net
• The Alchemy of Experience
• Being in the World, But Not of It
• Brotherhood is a Fact in Nature
• Clear Vision and Sane Living
• Conventions at Adyar
• Delight as a Form of Yoga
• The Essential Work of the Theosophical Society
• Gentle Thoughts and a Gentle World
• In Tune With the Universe
• J. Krishnamurti, Theosophy and the Theosophical Society
• Krishnamurti and Theosophy
• Masters and Gurus
• The Middle Way
• New Light on Old Ideas
• Nothingness
• Stages On The Path
• Strength or Weakness?
• Theosophy Is for Everyone
• The Universal Yoga Tradition
• The Urgency for a New Perspective
• What is Our Priority?
• The Web of Life

About Radha Burnier

• Radha Burnier at Theosopedia
• Radha S. Burnier at Theosophical Society Adyar website
• An Intervieew with Radha Burnier at Life Positive.com
• Press Release of the Grand Lodge of Freemasonry for Men and Women at KatinkaHesselink.net
• Radha Burnier Visits The Olcott Campus by Richard Smolley
• Radha Burnier, president of Theosophical Society, dies at 90 at The Times of India

Audio

• The Basis of Meditation by Radha Burnier
• The Middle Way by Radha Burnier

Videos

• Presentation of the book The World Around Us by Radha Burnier
• Presidential Address Convention 2011 (Four Parts)

Additional resources

• Mrs. Radha S. Burnier at ZoomInfo.com