IBM Ring 177 came into existence at Bangalore, India on September 27, 1964 thanks to the initiative of Benjamin J. Kleinman and the enthusiastic leadership of Prof. S K Vasantha Kumar. Mr Kleinman was a member of the New York City Ring 26 and the Associate Editor of Society of American Magicians M-U-M magazine.
Seated, left to right, Cruz Rosario Correa, Secretary-Treasurer; ?„ K. Vasantha Kumar, President; Benjamin J. Kleinman, Ring Organizer; Frederic Joseph Hemi, Vice President; and N. T. Kastur Rangan. Standing, left to right, Professor Baas, Coordinator; Vitay R. Deshpandey, Pilot; A. Subramania Pillai; and J.ames Webb Baker. Members not photographed are: V. R. N. Raghavan, K. C. Nambiar, Capt. M. G. K. Murti and Charles Aldrey.
Having been appointed the Goodwill Ambassador of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, USA, Mr Kleinman who was visiting India and Bangalore, met his friend Prof. S K Vasantha Kumar and held a series of meetings with like-minded local magicians to sign them up to the IBM and start the third oldest IBM Ring in India.
From The Ring Archives
With the kind permission of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (USA), we have collated a dozen articles from The Linking Ring magazine that highlight the journey and influence of the IBM Ring 177 since 1964.
January 1967:
An excerpt from Thornton Poole’s Magic International article
November 1967:
Ring 177 felicitates magician and lecturer D.A. Tayade
June 1968:
Ring 177 makes plans to receive Mr. Werner Hornung and Mr. Axel Velden of Germany
October 1968:
International President Ronald Haines becomes the first sitting IBM president to visit India and IBM Ring 177
October 1968:
An excerpt from Thornton Poole’s Magic International article
July 1989:
IBM International President Edward Morris visits Bangalore
July 1993:
Ring 177 hosts Vijaykumar Narayanan, a member of San Jose Ring 216
March 1996:
Master Vinay meets Aldo Colombini – A special mention by Phil Willmarth
April 1996:
India Ring 177 Fetes The Great K. Lal and Junior K. Lal
July 1996:
IBM Past President Edward Morris visits Bangalore
