Men, Matters and Movements (An Old and Rare Book)

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History, says Carlyle, is the essence of innumerable biographies This is equally true of contemporary history and those involved in its making. It is in fact the record of achievements and failures of people who participated in any movement for achieving some obiective. The present work is a collection of stray articles, Papers and extracts from addresses relating to men, matters and movements connected with contemporary history. The inclusion of Adi Shankaracharya is a notable exception. His role in establising cultural unity in the country has to be acknowledged. The prominent persons included in this book include Rabindranath Tagore representing the soul of India, Sachchidanand Sinha, the senior most member of the Constituent Assembly and its interim Chairman, Gandhiji, the Father of the Nation: Nehru-the scholar historian and visionary politician, Sirdar Patel the Indian Bismark Rajendra Prasad, the home-spun leader and the First President of India: Radhakrishnan, his philosopher successor, Maulana Azad. The cultured Muslim scholar, Indira Gandhi-the Iron lady: Acharaya Narendra Deva the saint politician. K.M. Manshi, the intellectual legal Jummary, Sampurananand, the pedagogue Chief Minister, and B.G. Kher the Orientilist counter part. Toynbee is included for his contribution to the history of human civilisation.

The Matters included in this work are of a diversified nature, but definitely of topical interest. These include secularism, its rigin, meaning and implications, its future in India and abroad: Democracy-ancient and modernails failure to survive in the past diplomacy in its historical setting problems of Indian universities: the west in transition, and many other items like sati, Panchayataraja, the place of religion and God in one's life etc. Further, a change or movement consitutes the ebb or flow of civilisation Down the ages India has been transmitting its ideas, ideals and culture to south-east and Central Asia. The movements as well include Buddhism, Islam and Brahmanism in all aspects, particularly the Rama legend.

The present study might not provide solution to contemporary vexed problems, but it could be Fund useful in seeking guidance from past precedents. As pointed out by Shri Inder Jeet in his Foreword, it is objective in approach truthful in marshalling facts, precise and clear in presentation, and honest in expression.

Professor Emeritus B.N. Puri is a prolific write with more than 30 Research and othe publications and over 300 papers and articles his credit. Besides the two Oxford dissertation which earned him the M. Litt, and D. Ph Degrees, entitled India in the time of Patanjali 3 editions) and "The History of the Gurjara-Pratilur (2 editions), his India under the Kushanas won him international recognition: He has been member of the International Board of Editors for The History of Civilisations of Central Asia UNESCO project, as its Vice-Chairman for six years, and Co-Editor for Volume II He is wid ly travelled and delivered lectures, as also participated in seminars and conferences at many places in India and abroad.

Dr. Puri's research publications include a three volumes History of Indian Administration. Buddhism in Central Asa, India in Classical Gree Writings, Indian History - A Study, Social, Cultural und Economic History of India A Neto Advanco History of India (in collaboration), The Khatris Socio-Historical Study, The Indian Freedom Struggl Secularism in Indian Ethos, Ancient Indian Historiography-A Bicentenary Study. Esintion of Indian culture in South-East Asia and Central Asia in two volumes. History of the Lucknow Liversity in two volumes etc.

Professor Puri's teaching assignments include li long stay in the Lucknow University between 2945-60 and again from 1971-76. He was Professor of Indian History and Culture at the National Academy of Administration. Mussoori between 1960-70. For five years he was U.G.C Research Professor, and a Fellow of the Indian Council of Historical Research for 9 years, as also member of the Council between 1983-87. He was also Professor Emeritus at the Kurukshetro University for two years. For a year he wa Deputy to the Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford (1950-51)

Dr. Puri presided over the Indian History Congress - Ancient India Section-Gauhati 1959 Indian Oriental Conference-Greater Indi Section Aligarh 1966 Punjab History Congres 1982 At Seventy Eight he is still working on "Th Kuskanav in India and Central Asia and Bhagavadgita and Modern Life the last gaut His autobiography entitled "The History Historiography and Indian Historians.

'History', says Carlyle, 'is the essence of innumerable biographies'. This is equally true of contemporary history and those involved in its making. In fact, it is the record of achievements and failures of people who participated in any movement for achieving some objective. When that is done, they try to extend its boon from a privileged minority to the masses in general. In this context the present work is a collection of stray articles, papers and extracts from addresses on Men, Matters and Movements, who were connected with contemporary history, and problems and movements of the time viewed in historical perspective. The inclusion of Adi Sankaracharya is notable for his attempt at establishing the cultural unity of the country in the past.

Among the notable personalities whose sketches are provided include Rabindra Nath Tagore representing the soul of India, Sachidanand Sinha the senior-most member of the Constituent Assembly and its Interim Chairman, Gandhiji the father of the nation, Nehru the scholar historian and visionary politician, Sardar Patel the Indian Bismark, Rajendra Babu the home spun. Swadeshi twice-elected President of India, Radhakrishnan his philosopher successor, Maulana Azadr the cultured Muslim scholar, Indira Gandhi the Iron Lady, Acharya Narendra Deo the saint politician, K.M. Munshi-the intellectual legal luminary, Sampurnand- the pedagogue Chief Minister and B.G. Kher the Orientalist Chief Minister. Toynbee, the modern Herodotus. is included for his contribution to the History of Universal Civilizations. This list is not exhaustive and includes only those aobut whom articles were written by me and published by the Indian News and Feature Alliance INFA-New Delhi, in the course of a few years.

The Matters' included in this work are of a diversified nature, but definitely of topical interest, which were included in a series of my articles published by the Feature Alliance'. Out of these, Secularism-the most enigmatic term has received greater attention in five articles.

India's post-independence era is noted for its progressive ideals and attempts to set up a egalitarian pattern of society. In the bargain, many more problems have come to be generated, demanding immediate attention, then could be easily handled by any Government. Ideological considerations, socio-economic expediencies and the heritage of the past against the back drop of a vast mass of illiterate population, soaked in blind faith and allergic to change, have contributed in great measure to these growing problems. The continuing population explosion, compounded by the failure of the family planning programme, has only accelerated the pace of misery. The growth in national income fails to compete with the growth in population rate.

One question naturally arises: how long can we depend on foreign doles and debts to met our requirements? The political as well as the ecnomic image of our country is largely affected by our dependence on others. Our leaders, were, no doubt, honest in their intentions. But their visions seem to be far ahead of the times. The import of a foreign political system with its checks and balances, however, good it might have been, has not proved to be as productive as envisaged by the fathers of our consititution. Foreign ideologies and the foreign political system of Government injected into our body politic new blood which did not match with that which was native.

The present thus needs to be viewed in the context of the past Happily. this has been done from time to time by Dr. BN Puri in his articles: contributed to our country's premier syndicate. India News & Feature All ance, founded on November 14, 1959 by the late Shri Durga Das, formerly Editor-in-Chief of the Hindustan Times and the author of his semina. memoris, India from Curzon to Nehru and after. It was my pleasure as the Editor of INFA to invite Prof. Puri in the late seventies to give us for syndication to more than hundred newspapers all over India two articles entilted. The origin and Menaing of Secularism, and Secularism in Indian Ethos'. In these, he thoughtfully analysed the conept of secularism and its mening, as also the differences in its interpretation with two night-long discussions between Holyake and Bradlaugh.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages