by editorial board, Indian Express, 06th March 2023
The Freemasons Hall in Egmore, Chennai, serves as an invitation to the 400-year-old values and traditions upheld by the Freemasons, a group known for its motto of “Brotherly love, relief and truth.”
The organization, with its masonic path, aims to guide members towards intellectual, social, spiritual, and moral advancement.
The Grand Lodge of India (GLI), which governs freemasonry in India, was established in New Delhi in 1961 and is divided into four regions, with Chennai serving as the administrative center for the Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India (RGLSI), which is home to approximately 50% of the 20,000 masons in India.
RGLSI operates 177 lodges across all five southern states and Pondicherry. Unlike other organizations that seek external funds, Freemasons promote altruism and charity by raising money internally through their members.
The article also highlights the official announcement of the appointment of TN Manoharan as the new regional grand master, with a vision for the next three years to create initiatives to assist children, help the visually impaired find employment, and support students from economically weaker sections of society.
