Glimpses of a Prince Among Patriots (An Old and Rare Book)

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In this G.D. Birla birth centenary year, here is a humble tribute to one of modern India's most illustrious sons, a giant among leaders who readily surrendered his all at the call of the Mahatma for the cause of independence. A compilation of articles that throw light on the different facets of the doyen of Indian industry, both before and after independence in 1947.

Apart from articles, each one of which discusses different facets of the life and work of this Titan, there is a whole section taken from my notes of conversations with him that reveal the extremely simple, spartan life this great man led until his death at the age of 89.

Other sections include the text of Birla's extempore speech on Mahatma Gandhi a few months before his own demise, Swami Chinmayananda's tribute while participating in his first death anniversary when a lifesize statue of the departed elder was unveiled in the gardens of the Golders Green crematorium in London where he was laid to rest, and excerpts from former Supreme Court Chief Justice S. R. Das's tribute while delivering the convocation address at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, in 1971.

K.S. Ramanujam, 67, represented the wellknown newspaper group of Delhi The Hindustan Times at Madras for 37 years until his retirement in 1986. He also represented Eastern Economist for 26 years until its voluntary closure in 1982.

Author of two popular books on Tamil Nadu politics, "The Big Change" and "Challenge and Response", he also brought out a large number of special issues for The Hindustan Times and Eastern Economist to focus reader attention on the socio-economic progress of the Southern region. Particular mention may be made of the four Special supplements brought out by him for Eastern Economist, those on India & Japan, India & Hong Kong, India & Malaysia, and India & Singapore in 1971-72 in which he fervently and convincingly pleaded for massive liberalisation of economic policies to match the worldwide changes that were taking place and which, if not done immediately, would hamper and even retard the economic growth of the vast Indian subcontinent.

Apart from continuing to be a journalist, freelance K.S. Ramanujam is currently deeply involved in children's education and social work. He is Secretary to the Hindu Educational Organisation and the Madras Kendra of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and a member of the Managinį Committee of Children's Garden School Society, Madras and of the governing council of Gandhi Vidyashram Kodaikanal, a Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan School.

This book is not a biography of Ghanshyam Das Birla, one of the outstanding leaders of modern India. Far from it. It is a collection of articles I had written during the last two decades (1974-1993) about G.D. Birla's involvement in and contribution to the freedom movement under the dynamic leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and his simultaneous concern for the economic wellbeing of his motherland both before and after independence, until his unexpected death in London in June 1983.

This being his birth centenary year, I am presenting my articles in book form as a humble tribute to his memory. Since the articles were written in intervals of eleven to twelve months there may be some repetition, for which I crave the indulgence of the reader. I concede it is impossible in a small volume to exhaustively cover all the facets of a maha purusha like Sri Birla but an earnest attempt has been made to present a comprehensive picture, from his early days with the Mahatma to his leadership role in independent India's march to progress and prosperity.

It was my rare privilege to observe G.D. Birla from close quarters. For him money was a means to an end. He realised, very early in his life, that poverty and wealth will always co-exist even as it had done in the millennia. However, he worked very hard to alleviate the miseries of the poor by creating more avenues for education and employment. He spent most of his life away from his birth place, Pilani in Rajasthan. His overwhelming sense of belonging and concern for his native town, however, made him build a large educational complex there consisting of many schools and colleges as also the well known Birla Institute of Technology and Science, which, together, imparted education to some eleven thousand boys and girls from all over India in the arts, humanities, electronics and mechanical, electrical and civil engineering up to the postgraduate level.

Ghanshyam Das Birla, better known as G.D. Birla, was a legendary figure in Indian public life of the 20th century. He was a successful capitalist. Birla's industrial empire competes with the Tatas to be at the top of the table of large industrial houses. He was a friend and disciple of Mahatma Gandhi. There are many books written about G.D. Birla by varied authors.

K.S. Ramanujam is a well known journalist, now retired. He struck a close, Boswellian friendship with G.D. Birla. Ramanujam had many opportunities to stay and travel with GD in India and outside India. He observed Birla from various angles and developed great admiration for GD with regard to his talent as an industrialist and more than that, his humanistic virtues. Ramanujam has been writing articles about GD every Sri Ram Navami day (birthday of GD) and having them published in various dailies and magazines.

Ramanujam has now compiled his articles on GD and is publishing them in book form. I am sure the book will give a glimpse of the great personality of the doyen of the Birla family, as observed and studied by a young friend with intimate knowledge of many facets acquired through close association with GD. To Ramanujam, GD is a hero par excellence and every one of his articles reproduced in the book reveals this relationship.

I am sure the book will be a useful addition to the literature already available on this remarkable man who had contributed greatly to the freedom movement, and in building up the industrial structure of Independent India.