Annual Report for the year - 2004.

The standing Committee of Lodge Trivandrum No.168 has immense pleasure in presenting the Annual Report for the year 2004.

In view of the Annual Investiture Meeting of the Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India hosted at Thiruvananthapuram at the end of January, the Installation meeting was held under dispensation on the 7th of February 2004. At this meeting, Bro. Abraham Solomon Ben Roy was installed in the chair of King Solomon by W. Bro. S. Ramnath, in a solemn ceremony, in the presence of W.Bro. R. Sushil Raj, Assistant Regional Grand Master who represented R.W. the Regional Grand Master of Southern India. Over thirty-eight visiting brethren, including W. Bro. P.S.Pandyan, A R G M of Chennai Area, attended this meeting, besides a galaxy of Past Masters and brethren from our Lodge. Lodge Minchin No.2710 (EC) was also well represented.

W.Bro. R.Sushil Raj, Assistant Regional Grand Master delivered the Charge to the Master, R.W. Bro. K.R.Rajasekharan Nayar, the Charge to the Wardens and R.W.Bro. M. Ramaswamy Iyer, the Charge to the Brethren.

There were 11 regular Meetings, 4 Emergency Meetings and one Emergency Joint Meeting during the year.

Brief details of the ceremonies worked are as follows:

The brief details of the Emergency Meetings are as follows:

The year started with a strength of 132 members. Four candidates were initiated during the year. But the Lodge lost two of its senior brethren through the demise of W.Bro. Augustine Mathew Kayyalakkakom and W.Bro. R.Gainneos. At the close of the year the membership stands at 134.

The attendance throughout the year was good. The following brethren have distinguished themselves by registering 100% attendance during the year.

1. W. Bro. A. S. Ben Roy W.M
2. Bro. V. R. Harikumar S.W
3. Bro. V. J. Thomas J.W
4. W. Bro. P. B. Menon Secretary
5. Bro. P. T. Mohan Babu J.D

The following brethren have registered 70% and better attendance:

1. R. W. Bro. K. R. Rajasekharan Nayar
2. W. Bro. Maj. Gen. M. Kesavan Nair
3. W. Bro. Dr. R. Ravikumar
4. W. Bro. Dr. G. R. Nandakumar
5. W. Bro. A. Jayapalan
6. Bro. S. Ram Mohan
7. Bro. K .K. Kamath
8. Bro. P. Vijaykumar
9. Bro. Dr. R. Rejnish Kumar
10. Bro. B. V. Krishna Kumar

Among the Initiates of this year, Bro. M. R. Karmachandran has attended all meetings following his Initiation.

The financial position of the Lodge continues to be sound. There are no arrears of subscription. In the capable hands of our Treasurer, Bro. S. Ram Mohan, accounting records were maintained properly as will be evident from the Balance Sheet and Financial Statements circulated with the Annual Report.

A large number of our brethren were actively associated with the conduct of the Annual Investiture Meeting of the Regional Grand Lodge at Thiruvananthapuram on the 31st of January2004. W. Bro. R. Sushil Raj was invested as the Assistant Regional Grand Master. The event turned out to be one of the best Masonic Meetings in the Region.

A large contingent of brethren including the W. Master and Wardens attended the Half Yearly Meeting of the Regional Grand Lodge held at Salem on the 4th and 5th September 2004.

A few brethren of our lodge attended the Special Meeting of the Regional Grand Lodge of Western India held on 9th October 2004 at Daman, where W. Bro. R. Sushil Raj ARGM represented R. W. Bro. Dr. Balaram Biswakumar, Right Worshipful the Regional Grand Master

The Grand Festival held at Mumbai was also attended by a large delegation of brethren from our Lodge.

W.Bro.R.Sushil Raj

G.Std.Br.

R.W.Bro M.Ramaswamy Iyer

P S G W

V.W.Bro.A.Gopalan Nair

P G D of C

V.W.Bro. Brig. V.K. Nair

P G D of C

W.Bro. G. Raghuvaran

P. G. Supdt. of Works

W.Bro. M. R. B. Menon

P.Asst.G.Swd.Br

W.Bro.R.Ravikumar

P. G. Std. Br.

W.Bro. A. Jayapalan

P. G.Std.Br.

W.Bro. Dr. P. A. Thomas

P.Asst. G.Std. Br

W.Bro. D. Santhikumar

P.Asst. G.Std. Br

W.Bro. Dr. G. R. Nandakumar

P.G.Org

W.Bro. Col. M. K. Sriharshan

P.G.Org

W.Bro. Dr. G. Surendran

P.G.Mars

W.Bro. Roger Oscar Christian

P.Pres.G.Stwds

W.Bro. T.Ravindran

P.G.Stwd.

W.Bro. M.M.Syed Ismail

P.G.Tyl.

W.Bro. R. Sushil Raj

A R G M

W.Bro. T. Ravindran

Asst. R G Std. Br.

W.Bro. P. Balachandran Nair

R G I G

W.Bro. Dr. R. Ravikumar

P.Dy. R G M

W.Bro. Dr. P.A.Thomas

P.Dy. R G M

W.Bro. R. Sushil Raj

P.Dy. R G M

W.Bro. A. Jayapalan

P A R G M

W.Bro. Dr. G. R. Nandakumar

P S R G W

W.Bro. D. Santhikumar

P S R G W

W.Bro. T. Ravindran

P S R G D

W.Bro. Roger Oscar Christian

P J R G D

W.Bro. P. Bhaskaran Nair

P R G Swd. Br.

W.Bro. P. Sreekumar

P Asst. R G Secy.

W.Bro. A. Devadas

P Asst. R G Secy.

W.Bro. K. G. Rajasekharan Nair

P R G Std. Br.

W.Bro. R. Krishnan

P R G Std. Br.

W.Bro. P. B. Menon

P R G Org.

W.Bro. Akhilesh G. Nair

P R G Org.

W.Bro. P. Balachandran Nair

P R G I G

W.Bro. Maj. Gen. M. Kesavan Nair

P Pr. R G Stwds

The Assistant Regional Grand Master, W.Bro. R. Sushil Raj recognised the following brethren for their outstanding services to the Craft in the Area in general and to this Lodge in Particular.

1. W.Bro. A. S. Ben Roy
2. W.Bro. P. B. Menon
3. W.Bro. A. Jayapalan
4. Bro. P. Vijay Kumar

These trophies were presented on the occasion of the Sagodara Sangamam, a get-together organised by Lodge Pearl City bidding farewell to R.W.Bro. Dr. Balaram Biswakumar, R.W.the Regional Grand Master.

The Past Masters as well as Master Masons took active interest in the ritual working of the Lodge. The following Master Masons of the Lodge delivered a part of the Ritual or read a Paper on Masonry.

Bro. Rajaneesh Clement

Third Degree Working Tools

Bro. S. Sreekumar

Final Charge, Charge after Passing, Third Degree Working Tools.

Bro. Dr. R. Rejnish Kumar

First Degree Working Tools, Second Degree Working Tools, Masonic Education Paper

Bro. Roy Peter

First Degree Tracing Board, Final Charge

Bro. V. R. Harikumar

Traditional History II Part, Charge after Initiation.

Bro. R Sridhar

Third Degree Working Tools, Charge in the South East.

Bro. Dr. V. J. Thomas

Charge after Passing

Bro. P. Vijay Kumar

Second Degree Tracing Board, Final Charge

Bro. Dr. Joy Jyothis

Second Degree Working Tools

Bro. Bro. V. Sudhakar Rao

Charge in the South East, First Degree Working Tools.

Since the inception of the Ritual Working Competition, two Masters of the Lodge have been adjudged Best Masters in Southern Region. Several Masters have won laurels and many brethren have received Certificates of Merit. This year the Lodge participated in the I Stage of the Competition but could not qualify for the Second Round. The following brethren were awarded Certificates of Merit for their performance in the Ritual Working Competition:

The Masonic Work Shop organized at Kollam on the 4th of April 2004 by Lodge Vanchinad, was an effort by W. Bro. R. Sushil Raj, our ARGM to achieve a measure of uniformity in the Ritual Working of the Lodges in the area. Besides, W.Bro. R. Sushil Raj, W.Bro. A. Jayapalan and W.Bro. D. Santhikumar guided the discussions. The workshop was attended by W.Bro.A. S. Ben Roy, Bro.V.R. Harikumar, Bro.V. J. Thomas, W.Bro.Maj.Gen. M. Kesavan Nair, W.Bro. Roger Oscar Christian, W.Bro.K.G.Rajasekharan Nair, W.Bro. P. B. Menon, and Bro. S. Sreekumar.

Lodge Trivandrum No.168, jointly with Lodge Anathapadmanabha No.280 and Lodge Travancore No.329 organised a Seminar “An Introduction to the Side Degrees”, at Thiruvananthapuram on the 30th of May 2004. The Seminar was presided over by R.W.Bro. Dr. Balaram Biswakumar, Right Worshipful the Regional Grand Master. W.Bro. A. Jayapalan and W.Bro. D. Santhikumar presented papers in the Seminar. This was well attended by a large number of brethren from the area.

On the Universal Brotherhood Day, celebrated on the 24th June 2004, the Lodge donated 100 Kg of rice to the Bal Mandiram Orphanage.

W.Bro. A. S. Ben Roy, Worshipful Master appeared on the breakfast show of Kairali T.V. Channel answering all the questions about Freemasonry that were asked during the half hour programme. The entire transcript of the interview was published by MASONSOUTH. Later, that evening, W.Master and brethren participated in an informal get-together of Masons, Ladies and non-masons jointly organized by the three Lodges in Thiruvananthapuram, at Hotel Horizon. There was an interactive session in which many doubts and queries of the audience were clearly explained by the Assistant Regional Grand Master and R.W.Bro. K. R. Rajasekharan Nayar.

THE HINDU dated 25th June 2004 carried excerpts from an interview with W.Bro. R. Sushil Raj, ARGM, on the various aspects of Freemasonry.

The Past Masters’ Day was celebrated on the 20th of November. W.Bro. Krishna Sankara Pillai occupied the Eastern Chair and conducted the ceremony of Passing of Bro. M. R. Karmachandran. The ceremony was made very impressive with the Past Masters filling various offices.

The Dhanyadhan programme recommended by The Grand Lodge of India was carried out right earnest. Over 375 Kgs. of rice was donated to the poor and the needy. Our thanks to Bro. Dr. Joy Jyothis and Bro M. M. Shahul Hameed for the many Kilograms of Rice donated by them for this purpose.

This year will be remembered for the introduction of a monthly charity programme prior to each regular meeting of the Lodge. Poor and needy people were identified and provided with rice and monetary assistance. The Worshipful Master himself set the ball rolling at his installation by announcing that he had sponsored two deserving poor students this year to the extent of Rs. 2,500/- each. For the first time the Lodge was able to procure financial aid from P.M. Sundaram Charitable Fund of Grand Lodge of India to the tune of Rs.3000-00 to a poor Degree student of the University College, through Prathibha Poshini.

A sum of Rs. 27,555/- was collected towards charity during the current year and a sum Rs. 23,725/ was disbursed.

The Lodge made a contribution of Rs. 20, 000/- to the Trust during the year under report. R.W.Bro. K. R. Rajasekharan Nayar continues to be the Managing Trustee and the construction is in progress.

As suggested by the Grand Lodge of India, the Lodge took the initiative to organise the wives of the Freemasons of all Masonic Lodges in the city of Trivandrum into an Association by name MYTHRI. They are meeting regularly and organising programmes beneficial to themselves as well as to the society.

Two eminent and senior Masons, W.Bro. Augustine Mathew Kayyalakkakom and W.Bro. R. Gainneos were summoned to the Grand Lodge above. The Lodge was kept under Masonic mourning and Memorial Services were conducted in remembrance of the departed brethren on 14th November 2004 and on 18th December 2004 respectively. W. Master took special care to provide the necessary music for the Memorial Service. The Lodge deeply mourns the demise of these brethren and prays that their soul rest in peace.

This year, for the first time, a Lodge newsletter has been brought out every Month. The newsletter carried informative and interesting material, combining wit and wisdom. The efforts of W.Bro. A. Jayapalan, the Editor is appreciated.

This group ID created by enlisting all the brethren having E Mail ID has proved to be an effective channel of communication among brethren. The service rendered by Bro.P.Vijay Kumar in this regard is greatly appreciated.

The lodge Website which is two years old has established its presence in the Web world. It has become one of the popular sites for Masons throughout India and abroad. The site is regularly updated and carries information and photographs of the events not only of this Lodge but also of the entire area. The following table will amply prove the popularity of the site. We thank Bro. P. Vijay Kumar and W.Bro. A. Jayapalan, who are managing the Website.

Summary of usage statistics by month is shown in the table below -

We place on record our gratitude to the Worshipful Master and Secretary of Lodge Minchin No.2710 EC for all the cooperation and assistance received during the year.

We enjoyed the full support and assistance of the R. W. the Regional Grand Master, R.W.Bro. Dr. Balaram Biswakumar and we are deeply indebted to him.

We place on record our appreciation of the leadership, guidance and support received from our brother W.Bro. R. Sushil Raj, Assistant Regional Grand Master, without which we could not have achieved what we did.

All returns, statements and reports to RGL and GLI were dispatched in time and all dues remitted as soon as they were due. All books, registers, files and inventory of the Lodge are being properly maintained.

The Lodge is justifiably proud that it has been able to lend the services of its brethren to the Region. W.Bro. D. Santhikumar served as a Judge for the Second Stage of Ritual Working Competition and W.Bro. P. B. Menon served as Judge in the First Stage. W.Bro. A. Jayapalan served in the Editorial Board of Masonsouth, successively for three years.

The Past Masters were actively involved in the affairs of the Lodge. In general the year 2004 was marked by high standard of Rituals and a greater emphasis on charities.

The Standing Committee has immense pleasure to place on record their deep appreciation of the leadership of W.Bro. A. S. Ben Roy and his team of officers for the year 2004.

Trivandrum
31 - 12 - 2004.

2002, 2003, 2004, 2005,2006, 2007, 2009, 2010

2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010