Nurturing harmony between groups of people alone can make you turn your back on war. Our endeavour should be to create a warless society. And, for peaceful coexistence, you cannot find a place like India. Anne Besant came to India, because she knew that India can offer things which no other country can. India’s belief and faith in seeing the whole universe as one family has no parallel. This is what India offers to the world. The whole world is my family – or, Vasudaiva Kutumbakam is the nucleus of Indian Philosophy.

These were the words of wisdom with which Radha Burnier, the International President of the Theosophical Society accepted the Golden Lotus Award conferred on her by the Chennaionline at a glittering, but simple function in Chennai on Tuesday. 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.

“It is an honour, which will be appreciated by the members of the Theosophical Society. Annie Besant, one of the greatest theosophists was inspired by India and realised that India alone could contribute something substantial to the world, which no other country could. She said, “It is very important to respect, show affection and goodwill to others. When that happens, there will be no be terrible war”. Radha Burnier stated that by studying and understanding religion and philosophy, human beings could learn a lot. “Religion and philosophy help us to understand each other”, she added. Regarding the broad outline of Science, she said that it comprehends the whole world. “If the whole of science is understood, the whole of universe is understood. Individually as human beings, we need to learn how to live rightly and sensibly.” Addressing the young students in the audience, she said she was sure that youngsters would and could contribute something substantial to the humankind.