Why did Annie Besant and Charles Leadbeater identify Jiddu Krishnamurti as a possible World Teacher?

In 1909, the Theosophist and occult writer C.W. Leadbeater identified Jiddu Krishnamurti as a potential World Teacher after spotting the young boy near the Theosophical Society’s headquarters in Adyar, India. Leadbeater claimed that the boy possessed a remarkable aura, which led him to perceive Krishnamurti as the future physical vehicle for Maitreya, a messianic figure expected by Theosophists to guide humanity’s spiritual evolution.12

Upon meeting the boy, Annie Besant concurred with Leadbeater’s assessment. Together, they and other members of the society undertook the task of educating and preparing Krishnamurti for this envisioned role, even cofounding the Order of the Star in the East to facilitate his mission. However, in 1929, Krishnamurti ultimately rejected this designated role, dissolved the order, and broke with the society to pursue his own path as an independent teacher.12