Ring History

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.

BENJAMIIN J. KLEINMAN, New York City IBM Ring 26, and Associate Editor of Society of American Magicians M-U-M magazine, was appointed International Brotherhood of Magicians Good Will Ambassador on his recent world tour by International President Thornton Poole. At his stop in Bangalore, India, he organized the S. K. Vasantha Kumar IBM Ring 177, third in that country. Charter meeting was held September 27, 1964. 
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.

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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 1965: 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

July 1968: IBM Ring 177 hosts combined convention in Bangalore with Mysore Membership of Magicians to honour 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