CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, INC.
(Pursuant to the Religious Corporation Law of the State of New York)
We, the undersigned, for the purpose of forming a corporation pursuant to the Religious Corporation Law of the State of New York, do hereby make, subscribe and acknowledge this certificate as follows:
FIRST: The name of the corporation shall be INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, INC.
SECOND: The purposes for which the corporation is organized are:
(a) To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all peoples in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace in the world.
(b) To propagate a consciousness of Krishna as it is revealed in the Bhagawat Gita and Srimad Bhagawatam.
(c) To bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer to Krishna, the prime entity, and thus to develop the idea, within the members, and humanity, at largo, that each soul is part and parcel of the quality of Godhead (Krishna).
(d), To teach and encourage the Samkirtan movement congregational chanting of the holy name of God as revealed in the teachings of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
(e) To erect for the members, and for society at large, a holy place of transcendental pastimes, dedicated to the personality of Krishna.
(f) To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler and more natural way of life.
(g) With a view towards achieving the aforementioned purposes, to publish and distribute periodicals, magazines, books and other writings.
THIRD: The corporation shall have the power, either directly or indirectly, either alone or in conjunction or cooperation with others, to do any and all lawful acts and things and to engage in any and all lawful activities which may be necessary, useful, suitable, desirable, or proper for the furtherance, accomplishment, fostering, or attainment of any or all of the purposes for which the corporation is organized, and to aid or assist other organizations whose activities are such as to further, accomplish, foster, or attain any of such purposes. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the corporation shall exercise only such powers as are in furtherance of the exempt purposes of organizations set forth in Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code and its Regulations as the same now exist or as they may be hereafter amended from time to time.
FOURTH: The corporation is not organized for profit, and no part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. In the event of the liquidation or dissolution of the corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, no member shall be entitled to any distribution or division of its remaining property or its proceeds, and the balance of all money and other property received by the corporation from any source, after the payment of all debts and obligations of the corporation, shall be used or distributed, subject to the order of the Supreme Court of the State of New York as provided by law, exclusively for purposes within those set forth in Article SECOND of this certificate and within the intendment of Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 and its Regulations as the same now exist or as they may be hereafter amended from time to time.
FIFTH: The operations of the corporation are to be conducted principally within the State of New York.
SIXTH: The principal place of worship of this Society is intended to be located at No. 26 Second Avenue in the City, County and State of New York.
SEVENTH: The number of trustees of the Society shall be nine.
EIGHTH: The names and addresses of the trustees until the first annual meeting of the corporation are as follows:
NAME ADDRESS
MICHAEL GRANT 110 Bowery, New York, N. Y. (Mukunda das)
JAN OSLUND 110 Bowery, New York,.N. Y.
JAMES S. GREENE 324 East 6th Street, New York, N. Y.
The names and addresses of the trustees until the second annual meeting of the corporation are as follows:
NAME ADDRESS
PAUL GARDINER 38 East 76th Street, New York, N. Y.
DONALD W. CHAPDELAINE 26 Second Avenue, New York, N. Y.
RAYMOND MARAIS 26 Second Avenue, New York, N. Y. (Rayarama das)
The names and addresses of the trustees until the third annual meeting of the corporation are as follows:
NAME ADDRESS
KARL YEARGENS 218 Centre Street, New York, N. Y. (Karlapati dasa)
RAPHAEL BALSAM 26 Second Avenue, New York, N. Y.
ROBERT LEFKOWITZ 1847 49th Street, Brooklyn, N. Y.
NINTH: The first annual meeting for the annual election of trustees shall be held on July 6, 1967, at 7:00 P.M. at No. 26 Second Avenue, in the City, County and State of New York.
TENTH: The matters set forth in paragraphs FIRST through EIGHTH of this certificate were determined at a meeting held for that purpose pursuant to Section 192 of the Religious Corporation Law on July 6, 1966 at No. 26 Second Avenue in the City, County and State of New York. Said meeting was held pursuant to due written notice as provided in Section 191 of the Religious Corporation Law.
ELEVENTH: All of the subscribers to this certificate are of full age and all are members in good and regular standing of the church seeking incorporation through the filing of this certificate by admission with full membership therein in accordance with the rules and regulations thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF we have made, subscribed, and acknowledged this certificate of incorporation this 13th day of July, 1966.
[signed:]
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami,
[signed:] Carol Bekar,
[signed:] Raymond Marais
SS:
COUNTY OF NEW YORK)
On the 13th day of July, 1966 before me personally came A. C. BHAKTIVEDANTA, SWAMI, RAYMOND MARAIS and CAROL BEKAR to me known and known to me to be the individuals described in and who executed the foregoing certificate of incorporation and they severally acknowledged to me that they severally executed the same.
STEVEN J. GOLDSMITH
NOTARY PUBLIC, STATE OF NEW YORK
NO. 81-1489875
Qualified in New York County
Commission Expires March 30, 1967
STATE OF NEW YORK )
SS:
COUNTY OF NEW YORK )
STEVEN J. GOLDSMITH, being duly sworn, deposes and says: That he maintains an office for the practice of law at Two Park Avenue, Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York; that he is the attorney for the subscribers to the annexed certificate of incorporation of INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, INC.; that he has made diligent search of the records of the Clerk of the County of New York, and as revealed by such search, that no prior corporation with the same or similar name as INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, INC. has filed a certificate of incorporation in New York County. [handwritten:] The undersigned affirms this made under penalty of perjury.
[signed:] Steven J. Goldsmith
Certified Copy of the above Certificate of Incorporation from Manhattan County Clerk
Download complete PDF
------------------
RESOLUTION TO AMEND CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
August 18/20, 1972
INTERNATIONAL SOCIEIY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS INC
A NON-PROFIT CORPORATION
RESOLUTION TO AMEND CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
IT IS IN THE OPINION OF THIS BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT IT WILL BE IN
THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, INC. (ISKCON) AND HELP PROMOTE THE PURPOSES OF
ISKCON TO AMEND SECTION THE 'FOURTH' IN THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AS FOLLOWS:
"The property of this corporation is irrevocably dedicated to charitable or religious purposes, and upon liquidation, dissolution, or abandonment of the after providing for the debts and obligations The remaining assets will not inure to the benefit of any private person but will be distributed to a non-profit fund, foundation, or corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for charitable or religious purposes and which has established its tax exempt status under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code."
WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, DO HEREBY MAKE, SUBSCRIBE, AND ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AMENDMENT.
ADOPTED AT SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON FEBRUARY 20, 1972
[signature] - PRESIDENT (Kelly G. Smith - Karandhar dasa)
[signature] - VICE PRESIDENT ()
[signature] - SECRETARY (Robert John Seariqht Jr.)
[signature] - BOARD MEMBER ()
(Corporation)
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF Los Angeles SS.
On August 18, 1972 before me, the undersigned, a Notary
Public in and for said County and State, personally
appeared Kelly G. Smith______________ , known to me to be
the_________ President, and Robert John Seariqht Jr.
Secretary of the corporation that executed the within
Instrument, known to me to be the persons who executed the
within Instrument of behalf of the corporation therein
named, and acknowledged to me that such corporation executed
the within instrument pursuant to its by-laws or a
resolution of its board of directors.
WITNESS my hand and official seal.
(Seal) - Richard W. Scharpe
____________________________________
Notary Public in and for said County and State
RESOLUTION TO AMEND CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
Download complete PDF
History of ISKCON Inc.
Please also see:
Declaration of Will
Direction Of Management
What is the Direction of Management [DOM] ?
Direction Of Management For An Elected GBC