NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, JAN 1
Padma Bhushan awardee, political scientist and Gandhian scholar Lord Bhikhu Parekh released a book titled “Mahadev Desai: Mahatma Gandhi’s Frontline Reporter” on Gandhiji’s secretary Mahadevbhai at Sabarmati Ashram here on Sunday to mark Mahadevbhai’s birth anniversary.
- “Mahadev Desai: Mahatma Gandhi’s Frontline Reporter” is authored by senior journalist Nachiketa Desai, grandson of Mahadevbhai
- Dr Varsha Das, ex-director of National Book Trust and National Gandhi museum, and her movie actor-director daughter Nandita Das attend the function
Dr Varsha Das, ex-director of National Book Trust and National Gandhi museum, and her movie actor-director daughter Nandita Das were the guests of honour of the event.
The book, ‘Mahadev Desai: Mahatma Gandhi’s Frontline Reporter’, in English has been compiled and edited by Nachiketa Desai, grandson of Mahavebhai and veteran journalist. Another book by cancer victim Neha Ganju Tanna edited and translated into Hindi by Desai was also released.
Dr Varsha Das said, “Mahadevbhai’s writings begin with the Champaran satyagraha, launched for liberating the farmers of north Bihar from the exploitation of indigo planters in 1917 and ended with the Quit India Movement in 1942. Mahadevbhai’s end came in 1942 after associating with Mahatma Gandhi for a quarter century.”
Nandita Das said, “Releasing the book on New Year Day at Sabarmati Ashram is a memorable moment for all of us. Nachiketa Desai has made a sustained and committed scholarly effort to bring out this wonderful book as a befitting tribute his grandfather-journalist.”
In his acceptance speech, author Nachiketa Desai, quoted the appreciation of Rajmohan Gandhi, historian scholar grandson of Mahatma Gandhi on his book, “There is rich material here for researchers, future historians, future journalists and anyone curious about an extraordinary life.”
The book has been published by Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust.
Former vice chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapith and one of the trustees of Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust (SAPMT) Dr Sudarshan Iyengar who anchored the book release function said, “Mahadevbhai was also working as the special correspondent of the Associated Press, an internationally acclaimed news agency.”
About the book
Mahadev Desai or Mahadevbhai is largely known as Gandhiji’s secretary, but that would be an incomplete description of the exceptionally talented person. He was an avid reader, thinker, writer, translator and a journalist. Very little of these dimensions of Mahadevbhai’s persona has been in public domain. As quoted by Verrier Elvin – Mahadev was also “Gandhi’s Boswell”, the recorder of his words, the scribe who presented his Master’s Voice to all India, and beyond. Thus “Mahadev’s task was to make Gandhi real to millions. He made him perhaps the best known man in the world, certainly the best loved. The punctual, vivid, intimate stories that appeared week after week in Young India and Harijan displayed to readers all over the world a personality so lovable that love was inevitably aroused in response.
