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Haksar Memorial Volume I Contemplations on the Human Condition P N HAKSAR Contemplations on the Human Condition and Contributions in Remembrance are the first two of the series of Haksar Memorial Volumes, planned by the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) as part of its regular academic programmes. These two publications are volumes of great importance to those discerning readers, who are concerned about India today and tomorrow in the global context. In these two books CRRID has brought together the thoughts of P N Haksar and of some of the finest minds in the country on the problems and potentials of the Indian people and the human condition in the contemporary world. Contemplations on the Human Condition is a selection of the writings, speeches and personal letters of P N Haksar. Together they represent the quintessence of his profound thoughts and penetrating analysis of the Indian reality and the world around him in a historical perspective. His scientific mind focuses on a wide range of issues with a bearing on the diverse aspects of what he called the 'human condition', seeking a direction for social change. His expressions are incisive, views provocative and rooted in the varied experiences of his life, nurtured in the crucible of his very rigorous mental discipline. Of particular interest are his personal letters to Indira Gandhi on matters of contemporary political concern and a section of his report to the government on Nigeria, when he was the Indian High Commissioner there. All these add up to P N Haksar's vision of the India of his dreams, a new India, truly democratic and secular and at peace with itself both materially and spiritually. Contributions in Remembrance is in reality a complementary volume to Contemplations on the Human Condition. Its core is the product of three week-long academic programmes of lectures and seminars organized annually by CRRID so far, since 2001, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of P N Haksar. Distinguished scholars of social and material sciences and humanities and administrators, planners and diplomats, committed to an understanding of the contemporary world and its impact on India for both benefit and detriment, have tried to provide a profound analysis of India's achievements, failures and potentials and give a direction to its path of development within today's correlation of international forces. This volume also contains tributes to P N Haksar by some of those who had the privilege of interacting with him. Among these of particular interest are two pieces by Kamal Hossain, former Foreign Minister of Bangladesh and Muyeedul Hasan, a close associate of the late Tajuddin Ahmed, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Government in exile, on P N Haksar's contribution to the liberation struggle of Bangladesh. The two volumes together open up new vistas of thought on India and the contemporary world. Price: Rs. 1,345/- US$70 (Set of two volumes) >• Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 https://archive.org/details/haksarmemorialvo0000haks_q8w4 HAKSAR MEMORIAL VOLUME I Contemplations on the Human Condition Selected writings, speeches and letters P N Haksar Edited by Subrata Banerjee iCRRiD Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development, 2-A Sector 19-A, Madhya Marg, Chandigarh (INDIA) Published by Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development 2-A, Madhya Marg, 19-A, Chandigarh- 160019 (India) ISBN : 81-85835-45-4 © CRRID September 2004 All Rights Reserved Price Rs. 1,345/- US $ 70 (Set of two volumes) Printed by : Ace Graphics At Chandika Press Pvt. Ltd. 126, Industrial Area Phase 1 Chandigarh Cover Design : Acme TTvjT ^Ri|[U|| RAJ BHAWAN, HARYANA CHANDIGARH FOREWORD It was an honour and pleasure to have known Mr P N Haksar as a friend, philosopher and guide. Writing a "Foreword" for the volumes containing his letters, writings and speeches and those contributed both by his friends and critics is a matter of great privilege for me. The initiative taken by the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development, which Mr Haksar nurtured for more than two decades and more, indicates its earnest desire to take up the task left behind by him as the Chairman of its Governing Body. CRRID bears the definite imprint of Mr Haksar's worldview expressed through a combination of research and study by scholars in a multi-disciplinary academic environment. Mr Haksar always encouraged the contribution of senior scholars from humanities, social sciences, science and technology and other areas of human concern. CRRID, which started with meagre resources, has attained a unique place in the academic life of the country by dint of the hard work of its dedicated team of serious researchers, nurtured by Mr Haksar's vision. The effort made by CRRID in bringing out these volumes containing Mr Haksar's letters, writings, speeches and contributions of friends and critics, is extremely commendable and it is a treasure for the world of readers both known and unknown to Mr Haksar, who held the dignity of human beings as the highest denominator in judging human conditions. Contemplations on the Human Condition and Contributions in Remembrances are two volumes of great importance to those discerning readers, who are concerned about India’s present and future in the global context. In these two volumes, CRRID has brought together the thoughts of Mr Haksar and some of the finest minds in the country on the challenges and potentials of the Indian people and the human conditions in the contemporary world. These two volumes together open up new vistas of thought on India and the contemporary world and they add up to Mr Haksar's vision of the India of his dreams - truly democratic, secular, resurgent and at peace with itself, materially and spiritually. I wish CRRID all success on this unique effort. Governor Haryana IV PREFACE These two volumes, brought out in the memory of Shri P N Haksar by the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID), are a part of its academic activities carried out since its inception. Volume-1 contains his speeches, writings and letters selected by the editor from different sources including his personal collections. Volume-ll contains contributions by distinguished scholars, administrators, veteran diplomats, planners and well-known experts from the humanities, social and material sciences, the arts and culture, during the week-long academic programmes annually organized by CRRID since 2001, after Shri Haksar passed away in November 1998. These programmes comprised seminars, conferences and lectures followed by discussions. His friends and critics have enthusiastically responded to the idea of providing wider access to these discussions through a publication. Shri Haksar had a highly organized mind and his views were reflective of in-depth study of a very wide spectrum of human conditions in a given time and space. He saw the future in the past and the past in the future. He did so by critically examining the historical fallout of the events, which his highly sensitive mind, endowed with love for nature and compassion, had witnessed over the years. He also inherited certain folk wisdom from his ancestors. These found expression in his writings, speeches and highly informative interactive sessions he held on many formal and informal occasions. His simple answers to complex questions were amazing. He highly respected human dignity and held in the highest esteem those in whom he found some virtue. CRRID was fortunate to have Shri Haksar's guidance as Chairman of its Governing Body and editor of its quarterly journal, Man & Development. Above all he was a mentor of and a father figure for the small family of CRRID, which he tried to raise to an Institution of academic excellence. He used historical events to create new geographical boundaries. Similarly, he gave a pleasant turn to difficult events. v These two volumes are the beginning of a modest effort by CRRID, under the self-effacing guidance and contribution of Shri Subrata Banerjee, an old friend and colleague of Shri Haksar'sfor nearly 40 years. This, as I said above, is a modest attempt. Possibly it is not fault free. Nevertheless, it owes gratitude to many of those who have contributed to the making of this beginning. Anonymity not being a constraint, it may, therefore, be appropriate to listthe initial support given by Professor S K Goyal and his colleagues from ISID, my own colleagues, Professor Gopal Krishan, Ms Suman Khosla, Shri Ashwani Sharma, Shri Kulwinder Singh, Shri Hem Singh and a band of workers from CRRID. The same gratitude is extended to the colleagues from the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, and IIC Library in particular, and those who unhesitatingly made valuable material available by placing their publications and other documents, especially personal letters from Shri Haksar, at the disposal of CRRID. The co-operation of his daughters, Smt. Nandita Haksar and Smt Anamika Haksar, made possible collection of material from individuals, different Institutions and less known sources. These volumes are unique both in the form and content in view of the widest range of Shri P N Haksar's own writings, speeches and contributions of distinguished authors, depicting the human condition in relation to the future looking into the past and the past looking into thefuture. 5 August 2004 Rashpal Malhotra Founder-Director Centre for,Research in Rural and Industrial Development VI