A BRIEF HISTORY
The origins of The Golden Chain Fraternity (GCF) can be traced to the Golden Jubilee celebrations of SAICE in 1993. As a lot of former students gathered for the celebrations, it created a strong sense of solidarity. In the build up to the event, some of us felt the need to do something together, something which would have a lasting impact. We came up with the idea of starting an alumni magazine which would bind this diverse community together, a forum that would help us keep in touch with each other as well as with our much cherished alma mater. SAICE approved and funded the first issue. The Golden Chain magazine was launched. In those first years the issues came out in fits and starts. While the journal grew in maturity and scope, the situation remained unstable. Editors came and went. The magazine lacked a sure source of funding or an office from which to function. Despite it all, it survived due to the commitment of a few, the generosity of some and the goodwill of all.
Meanwhile former students were growing increasingly conscious of a collective identity. Get-togethers had made this community of SAICE’s former students, a group spread out over the globe with experience in diverse fields, aware of the strength of their numbers and of their unity and common heritage. It opened their minds to the enormous possibilities and potential of such a group. Simultaneously another development was taking place – an increasing number of ex-students had begun to return to settle in Pondicherry. The time was ripe for a structured integration, for a legally recognized alumni body which could not only serve as the publisher of The Golden Chain but also allow former students to involve themselves collectively in a wider constructive action. We, the SAICE alumni, products of the Ashram, could choose to further the work and ideals of our parent institution by using this body to coordinate, facilitate and fund our activities and projects.
At the beginning of the year 2000, during the alumni get-together held to usher in the new millennium, the proposal was mooted for the creation of such an alumni body. The body was to start small. It was to keep the high aims of the parent institution before it and always work in harmony with the Ashram administration. It was to give an opportunity to a fresh crop of ex-students to manage its affairs at regular intervals.
Finally on 4th May 2000 The Golden Chain Fraternity Trust was registered as a Public Charitable Trust under 12A of the Income Tax Act.
LEGAL STRUCTURE
The broad aim of the Trust is the advancement of education and the faculties of life as envisaged by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. It includes publication of journals, books, CDs, facilitating research, aiding educational institutions and participating in selected social causes.
The Trust Board itself is constituted of between five and twelve trustees. To reflect the varied profile of the alumni community, at least a third of all trustees are to be Ashramites and at least a third are to be non-Ashramites. Generally the attempt is made to find trustees of different age-groups, including a senior Ashramite ex-student. To constantly ensure that new individuals with fresh ideas and energy, and committed to The Golden Chain Fraternity’s aims have an opportunity to manage its affairs, all trustees have a tenure of five years. Under special circumstances, a trustee can have a second connective term of five years. The current trustees are: Bhrata Reddy (Managing Trustee), Jaydev Sharma, Surabhi Nandy, Nirav Kumar Shah, Ritarpan Bhattacharya.
THE FUNCTIONING
The Board of Trustees meets at least once a monthto discuss current projects and new proposals before it. Minutes are noted down. Based on the decisions taken, follow-up action takes place during the course of the month.
The teams involved in specific projects have their own working meetings as and when required.
Every year, around 4th May, the anniversary of the Trust, there is a get-together of all of us involved in the various activities of the Fraternity. This is an occasion where we get a view of the larger picture, we are informed of the progress made in the various projects and of the proposed future course of action and get to exchange views freely.
STAFF
Practically all alumni working at The Golden Chain Fraternity are voluntary workers. As most of them also work full-time elsewhere, the work done at the Fraternity is in addition to their other responsibilities and done mostly after office hours. Siva, our office assistant is present during our office hours. Any former student who would like to give some time to the work of the Fraternity is welcome to contact us.
ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS
Though the Fraternity began by focusing on bringing out The Golden Chain magazine, over the years it has taken up several other activities. Browsing through this site will give an idea of the projects that we are involved in. There is still much that can be done. GCF has constantly been open to assisting or undertaking projects, especially those which have a direct connection with the Centre of Education or the Ashram. And whenever we take up an important new activity, we seek to keep the Ashram authorities informed and updated.
FINAL WORDS
This in brief has been the story so far of The Golden Chain Fraternity. We are still in the process of creating an organization, of creating its infrastructure, of responding to the opportunities and challenges that it throws up. For the Fraternity to develop and strengthen, committed individuals will be needed. For it to grow into a movement, your whole-hearted participation will be required.
Nine years is a very short time in the life of an organization and in many ways The Golden Chain Fraternity has still to clearly define its identity, its raison d’etre and its mission. To do that, we have to better understand our identity as ex-students. That may not be so easy. We are a varied lot. We have amongst us scientists and artists, army-men and teachers, Ashramites and businessmen. But this diversity can be a great strength. There is a fund of knowledge and creativity, of financial resources and human energy that remains to be tapped. All we have to do is focus on our shared, unifying heritage — our faith in, and our love for, the Mother and Sri Aurobindo, for SAICE and the Ashram, for Their Vision and Their larger work in the world. If we pursue projects and plans that promote Their work here and elsewhere in some way, we will be doing something worthwhile. We cannot be just an alumni organization like any other. As children of the Mother, as products of the Ashram, our coming together cannot be for our sake; it has to be for Theirs.
VISION, MISSION
The Board of Trustees of The Golden Chain Fraternity felt that clearly defining and communicating the Vision and Mission of the Trust would improve the focus for its activities and forward planning. The following formulation, it believes, provides a wide umbrella for the various activities that are possible for the alumni to come together and assist, in any manner possible, with humility and gratitude to The Mother, the institution that has provided us the foundation and the tools with which we are building our lives.
VISION STATEMENT
The Golden Chain Fraternity exists to serve, as an act of gratitude to The Mother, the SAICE and the Ashram – community in any manner possible.
MISSION STATEMENT
To encourage alumni to participate actively, in any manner convenient, in the community; to exchange ideas; to attend events; to volunteer; to create new ways for alumni to stay connected to and draw inspiration from each other and the SAICE and to contribute to the continuing uniqueness of our institution.
We shall seek to achieve this by remaining conscious of and adhering to our core values of:
- Being faithful to the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother.
- Recognising that there are many approaches to the Truth.
- Allowing diversity to flourish without seeking to impose any specific thought process.