The Hindu : Rajaji and Nehru

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 30, 2003

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Rajaji and Nehru

Sir, — Not many know about C. Rajagopalachari's private letters to his influential Western friends asking them to recommend Jawaharlal Nehru for the Nobel Peace Prize in those far-off days, and it is good that Ramachandra Guha has brought it to public knowledge in his article "Comrades, friends, rivals" ( May 25 ). It may be of interest to know what the late B. Shiva Rao wrote on the passing of Rajaji in December, 1972: ``I have no regrets over C.R.'s passing away at 94, though personally I feel a void within; we must be grateful to Providence for sparing him for so long to render a service to India, of a quality beyond the capacity of ordinary mortals.

"I have only one regret: in 1962, it was my privilege to accompany Rajaji to New York, Washington and London on a great mission, the suspension of nuclear tests as a preliminary to disarmament. I remember vividly, as though it was yesterday, one episode — our meeting with President Kennedy. We had been warned that it was a very busy day for the President, and he could spare only 20 minutes. But Rajaji's presentation of the case was so convincing that Mr. Kennedy sat fascinated.

"The minutes sped well beyond an hour, but the President ignored his other engagements to listen to a deeply moving appeal by Rajaji on behalf of defenceless humanity.

"Finally, as the interview terminated, Mr. Kennedy gave him the assurance that something would be done: and later he told one of his officials present at the interview that never before in his life had he felt the impact of ancient wisdom as he had done from Rajaji."

"In reporting the results of the mission to Prime Minister Nehru, I mentioned this interview and suggested that Rajaji be India's representative at all future world disarmament conferences. He seemed at first attracted by the suggestion but other considerations came up and it was dropped. Such an assignment would have been a crown for a life of selfless service to India in a spirit of broad humanity.''

K. Vedamurthy,
Chennai

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