Book on V P Menon by his great granddaughter released
09 Feb 2020 09:40:43
(Left) Narayani Basu speaking about her book during the session. (R) The book ‘V P Menon- the Unsung Architect of Modern India’ authored by Narayani Basu was published on Saturday in Vidarbha Lit Festival. It was published in presence of Maj Gen Rajesh Kundra, Vijay Phanshikar, Santosh Desai, Sachin Jahagirdar and Narayani Basu. (Pics by Anil Futane)
Staff Reporter :
It was rightly said by Sachin Jahagirdar, one of the organisers of Vidarbha Lit Festival that 15 years ago he read ‘Freedom at Midnight’ where there was a little mention of V P Menon and he was searching some literature on him. Recently, he found it on net and his happiness knew no bounds.
The book ‘VP Menon: The Unsung Architect of Modern India’ penned by Narayani Basu was released on Saturday at Chitnavis Centre in presence of Maj Gen Rajesh Kundra, ‘The Hitavada’ Editor Vijay Phanshikar, well-known author Santosh Desai, Narayani Basu and Sachin Jahagirdar. Maj Gen Kundra spoke on the book and admired the initiative of Basu who wrote the book. He especially appreciated the word unsung which he said used in the defence for the soldiers. Menon who played important role in pre-partition and post-partition and whose contribution was never highlighted was in real sense the unsung architect, commented Maj Gen Kundra. After the book release, the session on the book was held wherein Basu spoke about the book. The session was moderated by Sachin Jahagirdar.
Narayani Basu said when she read books on several pre-partition and post-partition events it shocked her no mention of her great grandfather. She came up with the book on the life and times of V P Menon, the man who brought about a definitive plan for a unified India after independence. “Very few people are aware of the fact, Menon was political advisor of the last Viceroy of India, Lord Louis Mountbatten. He had very close relations with Bar Mohd Ali Jinnah who many times singled out Menon and had lunch with him. It was Menon who with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Deputy Prime Minister of India, ensured the merger of princely states into India,” revealed Basu.