Is the term 'Sathya Sai Fraternity' an appropriate one? Or is it inappropriate as fraternity may get understood as a male only group, a (male) brotherhood?

Last updated on 25-Aug-2018

In Indian English I think the word fraternity goes beyond a male only brotherhood. It means more of a community of people, adult male, adult female and children bonded together as a community-hood (even if it may be referred to as a brotherhood at times, it does not mean a male only brotherhood).

The Indian Republic picked up the words of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity from the French Republic. So the preamble to the Indian constitution uses the word fraternity with the meaning I have given above (and NOT a male only brotherhood). And so in Indian English I think the word fraternity is understood by most Indian English readers to NOT mean a male only brotherhood.

Related extracts from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preamble_to_the_Constitution_of_India

The preamble to the Constitution of India is a brief introductory statement that sets out guiding people and principles of the document, and it indicates the source from which the ordinary document derives its authority, meaning, the people.[1] The hopes and aspirations of the people as well as the ideals before our nation are described in the preamble in clear words. It may be considered as the heart and soul of Constitution.

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The preamble is based on the Objectives which was [Ravi: were] drafted and moved in the Constituent Assembly by Jawaharlal Nehru on 13 December 1946.[2] B. R. Ambedkar said about the preamble:

It was, indeed, a way of life, which recognizes liberty, equality, and fraternity as the principles of life and which cannot be divorced from each other: Liberty cannot be divorced from equality; equality cannot be divorced from liberty. Nor can liberty and equality be divorced from fraternity. Without equality, liberty would produce the supremacy of the few over the many. Equality without liberty would kill individual initiative. Without fraternity, liberty and equality could not become a natural course of things.[3]

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As originally enacted the preamble described the state as a "sovereign democratic republic", to which the terms "Secular" and "Socialist" were later added by the 42nd Amendment.[5]

[Ravi: Current preamble to Indian constitution including modification done by 42nd amendment in 1976, is given below.]

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens
 JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
 LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
 EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all
 FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;
 IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this  26th day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.

...
[Ravi: Explanation of term used in above preamble]
Fraternity

This refers to a feeling of brotherhood and a sense of belonging with the country among its people. It embraces psychological as well as territorial dimensions of National Integration. It leaves no room for regionalism, communalism, casteism etc.,which hinders the Unity of the State.The inclusion of the word "Fraternity" was proposed by Dr. B.R Ambedkar.

   The Preamble declares that fraternity has to assure two things—the diginity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation. The word 'integrity' has been added to the Preamble by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976)...

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References
1. Baruah, Aparijita (2007). Preamble of the Constitution of India: An Insight and Comparison with Other Constitutions. New Delhi: Deep & Deep. p. 177. ISBN 81-7629-996-0. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
2. M Laxmikanth. "4". Indian Polity (4th ed.). McGraw Hill Education. p. 4.5. ISBN 978-1-25-906412-8.
3. "Fundamental rights in The Preamble,Free Law Study material,IAS Law Notes,Study material for Ancient India Law". www.civilserviceindia.com. Retrieved 2015-10-11.
...
5. "The Constitution (Forty-Second Amendment) Act, 1976". Government of India. Retrieved 1 December 2010.

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Given below are some extracts from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libert%C3%A9,_%C3%A9galit%C3%A9,_fraternit%C3%A9 :

Liberté, égalité, fraternité (pronounced [libɛʁte eɡalite fʁatɛʁnite]), French for "liberty, equality, fraternity",[1] is the national motto of France and the Republic of Haiti, and is an example of a tripartite motto.

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References
1. "Liberty, Égalité, Fraternité". Embassy of France in the US. Retrieved 2014-09-18.

--- end wiki extracts ---

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/fraternity provides two meanings for the word 'fraternity' :

The first meaning is "a group of people who have the same job or interest:" and gives examples of legal fraternity, criminal fraternity etc.

The second meaning is indicated as 'US INFORMAL' and then says, "frat a social organization for male students at an American or Canadian college"

So I think that the usage of the phrase 'Sathya Sai fraternity' to refer to the community of Sathya Sai devotees - adult male, adult female and children - is okay, as one means that they are bonded together in a sort-of loose family relationship with the common feature of being devotees of Sathya Sai. I think it should be understood by readers from the context that we are not referring to a social organization of male students in a US or Canadian college.
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Given below are most of the comments (NOT all comments) from my Facebook post,  https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/2270265429856688, associated with this blog post:

Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Terry Reis Kennedy - You may want to have a look at the above post.
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Terry Reis Kennedy wrote (slightly edited): Thanks. I saw it. Indian English negates the origins of the word.....the Latin roots. Today few people have any interest (in) words, their meanings, their origins and consequently the vocabulary of highly educated can be limited. I appreciate your careful attention to words......the tools humans rely on for communication..
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Terry Reis Kennedy, It seems to me that UK English too has the same understanding of the word, fraternity, as Indian English, going by Cambridge dictionary reference I have given in the post above. And France is still using the word in its national motto, with that sense (NOT male brotherhood but including females).

I think it is American English mainly that has an issue with the word, fraternity, when used in this manner. And that perhaps is due to American English usage of that word for male only college social organization.

Regarding origins of the word and how the word's meaning in contemporary languages is different: Well, as a small social media writer I have to go by how a word is understood in contemporary languages, especially Indian English as that is what I am accustomed to.

I believe that the meaning of many words changes over time. So perhaps fraternity is one such word.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Terry Reis Kennedy, Alternate words/phrases for Sathya Sai fraternity that may make it more acceptable to American English readers could be Sathya Sai following or Sathya Sai devotees (which you also had suggested to me in a mail) or Sathya Sai community or Sathya Sai devotee community.

But Sathya Sai fraternity has a certain special ring to it which, I think, appeals to some readers.
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Terry Reis Kennedy responded to above: How about Sathya Sai Family? Women, Children, Men are all included.....Anyway, I noted that the graduates of Anantapur often refer to themselves as a sisterhood...………..
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Ravi S. Iyer responded to above: Family is a term that I use at times. But family typically implies a smaller number than fraternity or community.

I do not use the term brotherhood or sisterhood as there I think the gender specific part comes out rather clearly.
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Ravi S. Iyer wrote: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity - these words associated with the French revolution, at least in its later phases, are famous, I think, in India. I recall being taught about it in school in the context of the French revolution! And I think it is viewed as one of the great contributions of the French revolution to society evolution.

Perhaps that's why the word fraternity has a special ring and a special appeal in Indian English. Further, I do not recall coming across any male only social organization named as some fraternity or female only social organization named as some sorority in India. So this confusion possibility that arises in American context, does not seem to arise in Indian (or UK or French) context.
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[I thank wikipedia and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extracts from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever. I similarly thank cambridge.org for a few quoted phrases from their website being mentioned on this post.]