Page 18 - MML - Journal - Centenary Edition - Vol. 01 / 2023

Lodge Concord and Lodge Thirunal were adjudged as the joint winners of the trophy. It was in this meeting the Lodge took a decision to discontinue the printing of the names of members in the summons. This decision was taken because of the financial strain on the Lodge.
Lodge Victoria, Belgaum won the trophy in the ritual working competition during two
consecutive years, 1976 and 1977.
The first Memorial Service was conducted in the Lodge on 22-07-1978 to condole the death of R W Bro. Jambu Ramaswamy Iyer. It was in 1978 that R W Bro. Sitaram Jaipuria who was then the Regional Grand Master of Northern India was admitted as joining member. He later became the Grand Master of India. He again attended the lodge during 1983 also, and incidentally he also attended the investiture meeting of the Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India. During the year 1981 W. Bro. U. S. Rajaram was appointed as Secretary of the lodge, and he continued in that position for several years. R W Bro. Krishnaswamy completed 25 years as treasurer.
It was on 16-4-1983 an emergency joint meeting was held consisting of 17 lodges from Madras, Chittoor and Pondicherry, when W Bro. T.K. Ramachandran was the W.M. Both R W Bro. A.S. Rajasabhai, the Regional Grand Master of SI and M.W Bro. Sitaram Jaipuria, The Grand Master attended. After the initial agenda was taken up, the RGM occupied the Eastern Chair and offered felicitations to the Grand Master and presented a memento to him. Then W Bro. T.L. Rammohan assumed the Eastern Chair and conducted the ceremony of presentation of 50 years long term jewel to R.W. Bro. K. S. Varadachari. It was again in the year 1983 the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the lodge was conducted when MW The Grand Master was also present.
The lodge instituted the Diamond Jubilee rolling Trophy to be presented to the best WM in the Southern Region who excelled in the ceremony of installation of the WM along with the address for the presentation of the Foundation Lodge Jewel.
In the same year W Bro. R. Kalidasan who was elected as treasurer resigned before he was installed, and the lodge elected W Bro. D. Sreenivasan (Sr) to be the acting
treasurerfor the remaining term and he continued as treasurer till 1985. It was from this year that the charges to the Master, Wardens and brethren were delivered by different persons.
On 01-06-1985 it was announced in the open lodge that M.W Bro. Sitaram Jaipuria was called to the grand lodge above on 28-05-1985. On 29-06-1985 a memorial service was conducted in an emergency joint meeting.
On 10-02-1986, 39 brethren were balloted favourably to be admitted as joining members of the lodge. It was a record. Besides 27 proposals for membership were made and they were admitted at the meeting held on 26-04-1986.
On 26-04-1988 in addition to the regular meetings, an emergency meeting was held at Mysore on the invitation of brethren from Mysore Lodge. The W. Master of Mount Lodge No. 14 requested that one of their members, Bro. Ganesan may be raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason during the said meeting, and he was so raised. On 01-12-1988, the 1000th member was admitted as a joining member of the Lodge. He was none other than R W Bro. Abraham Markos, who later became the Regional Grand Master of Southern India.
It was in the installation meeting held on 13 - 02 - 1989 W Bro. Dr. V. Sivaprakasam
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A Publication of Madras Masters Lodge No. 103, GLI
Madras Masonic Journal Vol. 01 / 2023 - Centenary Year Edition