We are Ring 177 of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, USA – the world’s largest organisation for magicians and people interested in the magical arts. Based in Bangalore and powered by magician members from all over India and abroad, we meet on the second Sunday of every month.
The International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM) is headquartered in USA and boasts of over 11,000 members across 88 countries, with 300-plus local groups called Rings. Founded in 1922 by Len Vintus and Gene Gordon, the IBM is considered to be the most respected organisation in the world for magic collectors, magic hobbyists, and amateur and professional magicians. To think all this began with just three friends writing to each other!
IBM Ring 177 was originally founded by a group of enthusiastic magicians led by Magician S.K. Vasantha Kumar in Bangalore in September 1964. After a brief period of inactivity in the early 2000s, The Bangalore Ring was revived in March 2011 in a joint initiative by local magicians from Karnataka and other parts of India.
The Bangalore Ring has nearly 40 members from all over India and other parts of the world, and meets on the second Sundays of the month. In COVID times, our meetings have gone virtual and moved online, benefitting our members from across the globe – as they can all join from wherever they are.
The background of this emblem represents the world. The figure is Mercury, the messenger of the ancient gods and a magician. He carries a wand in his left hand. At the bottom, the letters I.B.M. are joined to indicate UNITY and COOPERATION. The oak leaf denotes strength, while the two acorns represent the Eastern and Western hemispheres. The hands are clasped to signify the FELLOWSHIP and BROTHERHOOD in MAGIC throughout the universe.
The International Brotherhood of Magicians (I.B.M.), founded in 1922, is the world’s largest and most prestigious organisation for professional and amateur magicians, magic enthusiasts and collectors of magic apparatus. As a member of the I.B.M., you will enter into a magical world of learning, performing and fellowship.
As a permanently chartered ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (USA), we at The Bangalore Ring fully endorse the Ethics Statement jointly issued by the International Brotherhood of Magicians (I.B.M.) and the Society of American Magicians (S.A.M.), and demand strict adherence of the same from all our members.
By affiliating with a Ring, one experiences a similarity to others, a mutual group affiliation, a willingness to share by giving to or doing for others what one expects from them. As a result, one becomes part of a larger dependable and stable structure.
By affiliating with a Ring, one experiences a feeling of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another and the group, and a shared faith that members’ needs will be met through their commitment to be together.” Said differently, by affiliating with a Ring, one experiences “social bonding” and “physical rootedness.”
By affiliating with a Ring, one experiences greater participation, perceived safety, the ability to function competently in the community, social bonding, strong interpersonal relationships, and a greater sense of purpose and perceived control.
The Bangalore Ring is Ring 177 of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM) – the world’s largest organisation for magicians and people interested in the magical arts. Located in Bangalore, the IT capital of India, IBM Ring 177 has nearly 50 magicians from all over India and other parts of the world as its members.
We meet on the second Sundays of every month. In the COVID-stricken world, we have moved our meetings to virtual platforms.
IBM Ring 177 was originally founded by a group of enthusiastic magicians led by Magician S K Vasantha Kumar in Bangalore in 1964. An author of many books on magic, including the acclaimed ILLUSIONSESEME, he was also a prolific contributor to The Linking Ring magazine.
There is an interesting story of how the S K Vasantha Kumar Ring 177 came into being, thanks to a trip to India (and Bangalore) by Benjamin J. Kleinman, who was a member of New York City IBM Ring 26 and the Associate Editor of M-U-M, Society of American Magicians magazine.
Formation of Rings in the International Brotherhood of Magicians originate in many ways. Recent method is credited to Benjamin J. Kleinman, member of New York City IBM Ring 26; and Associate Editor of M-U-M Society of American Magicians magazine.
Sydney S. Bergson, The Linking Ring, February 1965
BANGALORE, AUGUST 27: The Bangalore Ring is sad to report the sudden demise of our beloved member, Radharam Azhakamkumarath of Palakkad, Kerala. Magician Radharaman passed away on… Read more “Obituary: Magician Radharaman Azhakamkumarath”
BANGALORE, JULY 20: Owing to nearly 20 of our members registering and attending the Annual IBM Convention this year, our monthly meeting was moved by a week… Read more “The Bangalore Ring cannot have enough of IBM’s Annual Convention”
BANGALORE, JUNE 16: Sunday the 13th turned most magical with fifteen of our Ringers and magician guests getting together for our monthly meeting via Zoom and making… Read more “Bangalore Ring magicians make June showers magical”
In addition to magician members from Karnataka and the neighbouring states, The Bangalore Ring welcomes members of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (USA) from all over India and other parts of the world to join the Ring.
Currently, IBM Ring 177 has nearly 50 members drawn from nine Indian states and four countries, and is consistently adding new members to its impressive roster. During the COVID times, all our meetings have moved to online platforms, enabling our members to join in and participate from wherever they are.
The Bangalore Ring 