50 YEARS OF EPW

The third of the Chaudhuri brothers, ‘The Heart Has Its Reasons’ Hiten, exuded magnetic charm. He had left Dacca after completing his Inter- A Story Untold mediate Arts degree and wound up in Bombay where he did various jobs, including running chores for groups of Ashok Mitra businessmen. He simultaneously worked as a volunteer for the Congress party and This is the fi rst in a series of he story really begins a century or Sarojini Naidu was a friend of his. Soon articles that will be published more ago. Narendra Narayan he began mingling with people from the over the next 12 months to TChaudhuri who hailed from Pabna then nascent fi lm industry. He was a in north (Bangladesh) was a very close friend of Himanshu Rai and mark the 50th anniversary of practising lawyer at the Dacca District . Hiten helped Rai set up the the Economic & Political Weekly. Court. He had eight children—four sons fi lm studio. At the same A prolifi c writer in English and and four daughters. The eldest was time he himself began producing fi lms Bengali, 88-year-old Ashok Sachindra Narayan, commonly known as and accumulated immense wealth. He Sachin. He was a student of economics loved spending as freely as he earned and Mitra is former fi nance minister in the newly-started University of Dacca was an extraordinarily generous person. of , and a former during 1922–26. According to A K Das- Sachin’s second brother, Deb Narayan— trustee of the Sameeksha gupta, an economist who was his class- Debu—too soon arrived in . Trust, which brings out the mate and lifelong friend, Sachin was Debu had studied physics with S N Bose, the most outstanding student in the uni- a physicist known for his work with EPW . His reminiscences about versity. He was known for his sharp in- Albert Einstein, at the University of Dacca Sachin Chaudhuri, founder of tellect, wit and sparkling conversational and had obtained a fi rst class master’s the Economic Weekly which exchanges. However, he had little inter- degree. An American fi rm specialising preceded the EPW, include famous est in sitting down and performing well in the business of electrical goods offered in his examinations. He disappeared for him an appointment in Bombay. personalities from different three months before his semester exam, Sachin would live with his two broth- walks of life—politicians, roamed around the Himalayas and ers alternately. He had no interest in academics, journalists, novelists returned just a few days before the holding on to a regular job. He would and fi lm personalities. scheduled dates of his exam. He scraped sometimes write a column on fi lms for a through the exam and yet again, dis- newspaper or write political or economic appeared from Dacca. commentaries for some daily or the He, along with his cousin, Ajit Chakra- other, including the Indian Express. It varty (brother of Amiya Chakravarty, poet may sound unbelievable but he was even and one-time secretary to Rabindranath general manager of Bombay Talkies Tagore), set up a fl at in Calcutta (now after Himanshu Rai passed away. Sachin ) where they provided private had developed a very wide circle of tuitions as a means of living. But they friends and acquaintances among politi- really engaged themselves in meeting cians, journalists and share-market buffs. eminent people from various spheres of Simultaneously, he would be in close life. Sachin would charm everybody. It touch with scholars of economics and was during these days that he grew sociology at the University of Bombay. close to eminences such as Pramatha For some time, he worked as a research Chaudhuri, an author who was married scholar in the university. In the 1940s, to ’s niece Indira, when the research department of the and D P Mukerji, who was from the Reserve Bank of (RBI) was estab- Lucknow University but would come lished, he developed friendships with a down to Calcutta during vacations. number of young scholars working there. Things were upset when Ajit committed The two younger brothers held Sachin suicide. Sachin decided to leave Cal- with tremendous respect and silently cutta and proceeded to live in Bombay bore with his angularities. Hiten arranged Ashok Mitra can be contacted at ashokmitra. (now Mumbai) from the mid-1930s to rent a fl at in a new apartment build- [email protected]. onwards. ing that had come up in the early

12 AUGUST 20, 2016 vol lI no 34 EPW Economic & Political Weekly 50 YEARS OF EPW

1940s—Churchill Chambers, located on proposed periodical with his business those economists residing in Bombay were Merewether Road, right behind Taj friends and a family of traders known as K S Krishnaswamy and B V Krishnamurthy. Mahal Hotel near the Gateway of India. the Sekhsaria Group agreed to provide Others included Vinoo Bhatt (who was Sachin began to live there in a lord-like the entire equity capital for the new ven- part of the RBI’s research department fashion. There was a constant stream of ture. With fi nances no longer the prob- then), Ramdas Honavar, Deena Khatkhate visitors to his fl at: politicians, academics, lem, Sachin had to concentrate on the (who was also working for the RBI and journalists, cinema and stage artistes— shape and contents of the proposed new later with the International Monetary the list is indeed very long. Among them weekly. It was his personal decision to Fund), Dharma Venkataraman (who be- were Yusuf Meherally (the socialist have two distinct halves of the journal— came Dharma Kumar after she married freedom fi ghter), Sadiq Ali (a Congress the fi rst half would consist of editorial civil servant Lovraj Kumar). Among the leader) and his wife Shanti, Sadhana articles, commentaries and discussions sociologists was M N Srinivasan, who Bose (an actress and renowned dancer), on contemporary events, while the sec- went on to become the chairman of the Ashoka Mehta (the Congress leader who ond half would have a 100% scholarly Sameeksha Trust in the 1990s. Scholars of helped establish the party’s socialist fl avour with learned papers on economics international repute contributed articles wing), Sharda Pandit (sister-in-law of and other social sciences. It was typical that the EW published over the years. ’s sister Vijaya Lakshmi of him to carry anonymous editorial Others who helped in the editorial work Pandit, the fi rst woman governor of pieces written by eminent scholars and included Rama Varma, a long-time friend Gujarat), Ram Manohar Lohia (the so- others from all over the country. of Sachin who was scion of the royal cialist leader). Anybody visiting Bombay The fi rst issue of the Economic Weekly family of Cochin and had immense faith from Calcutta would, at Sachin’s insist- (EW) was published on the fi rst day of in the Marxist analysis of the social pro- ence, drop by—including individuals January 1949. I was then studying with cess. (In the early 1970s, the then left- such as communist leader Hiren Muker- Dasgupta at the Banaras Hindu Univer- leaning Government of Kerala had jee. Lohia used to stay with his friend sity and I still remember the thrill and appointed him as chairman of the Coir C G K Reddy who at that time was work- joy that greeted the appearance of the Board.) ing with and was the father of fi rst edition of the weekly. The very fi rst C Rammanohar Reddy who went on to editorial, “Light Without Heat,” was Nehru and Mahalanobis become editor of the EPW. written by D P Mukerji. Advertisements Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis (the were few and far between but that did statistician and architect of the Second Economic Weekly Is Born not deter Sachin. From the very begin- Five Year Plan) was extremely infl uen- Something unexpected occurred in ning, the EW led a hand-to-mouth exist- tial in government circles those days be- 1948. Hiten went to the United States ence. A gentleman hovering on the cause of his proximity to Prime Minister (US) with a group of industrialists and fringe of the business world, Alphonso Nehru. His views were considered ex- businessmen to explore trade prospects Fernandes, who was a bachelor like traordinarily radical in compari son to between the US and newly-independent Sachin, joined the weekly as its manager. those who then constituted the Planning countries. An eminent economist with The weekly subsisted on occasional Commission or successive Finance Min- the highest degree from the London releases of funds from the Sekhsaria isters, such as T T Krishnamachari (TTK) School of Economics and who was teach- Group as there were very few advertise- and C D Deshmukh. Nehru encouraged ing in Madras (now Chennai), was picked ments, that is, whatever that could be Mahalanobis to prepare a draft of the up by the Birlas to edit an economic arranged by Sachin’s brothers. Sachin Second Five Year Plan. The First Five weekly published from . He took pride in his “cottage industry” and Year Plan was altogether timid and had was also part of this group of business- Fernandes was a wonderful help. Very set extremely limited targets. The Second men. Hiten was deeply disappointed soon, the weekly began to receive serious Five Year Plan drafted by Mahalanobis with this gentleman. In him he could attention not only from scholarly circles came as a thundering shock to the con- fi nd no spark of brilliance and on return- in the country but in the US and the United servative crowd but they could do noth- ing to Bombay kept cajoling Sachin to Kingdom as well. The only other journal ing about it. agree to edit an economic weekly. He of this kind with a combination of dis- Mahalanobis was in complete charge. insisted that if that rather dull so-called cussions on contemporary themes along- He invited leading economists from economist could edit an economic side scholarly articles was the Ekono- across the world to visit his baby, the periodical, he, Sachin, given his depth of miste in the Netherlands. Few in this Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), and to knowledge and circle of friends and country or in the English-speaking world help him elaborate on the contents of acquaintances, would surely be able to had heard of this Dutch journal. the Second Five Year Plan. These visitors produce a far superior periodical. The fi rst half of the EW mostly con- included Oskar Lange and Michal Sachin succumbed with great reluc- sisted of articles and notes written by the Kalecki (both Polish economists who tance and his friends in academia from young crowd close to Sachin, not just adopted the Marxist doctrine to critique all over the country were delighted. Hiten from Bombay but also from Calcutta, capitalism), Shigeto Tsuru (a politician discussed the problem of fi nancing the Delhi and elsewhere. Foremost among and economist from Japan), Richard

Economic & Political Weekly EPW AUGUST 20, 2016 vol lI no 34 13 50 YEARS OF EPW Goodwin (from the US, who was Presi- independence movement in London and relatively loud tone that the then De- dent John F Kennedy’s speechwriter), set up the India League in 1929. Both of fence Minister of India Krishna Menon Joan Robinson (eminent British econo- them had been driven out of the US at was the main culprit preventing the de- mist renowned for her growth model) the time of the McCarthy campaign velopment of friendly relations between and Nicholas Kaldor (another prominent against communists. They came with India and the US. He added that plans British economist). Other visitors to the their children and settled down in a fl at were afoot to expel Krishna Menon from ISI included Paul Baran, the American in Bombay’s Warden Road. They became the government. Sachin had insisted economist who edited the path-breaking a part of the EW family and were on most that I must send a couple of articles for work on creative destruction by Joseph intimate terms with Sachin. I still re- the EW on whichever subject I thought fi t. Schumpeter, and Abba Lerner, a Rus- member learning about how their teen- I sent a note on what had transpired at sian-born British economist, who was age daughter once broke out into tan- the Independence Day reception. It one of the earliest to speculate on what trums and Sachin had to go across to raised a furore in Parliament and Nehru should constitute welfare economics. where they lived to calm her. He had a himself had to intervene to pacify the (There was a general expectation that particular charm that pacifi ed the girl. upset MPs. Besides me, among the anon- Lerner would emerge as a major persona An entire generation of young econo- ymous contributors to the EW were two in the academic world but that did not mists who later became celebrities, like persons with the same name, Samar happen; he withered away by the 1940s.) Amartya Sen, Sukhamoy Chakraborty Ranjan Sen, a diplomat who was sta- Charles Bettelheim, one of the leading and Jagdish Bhagwati, were encouraged tioned in Moscow and Samar Ranjan French Marxist economists also came to to write for the EW. They complied with Sen, an economist and civil servant. the ISI. Mahalanobis had the foresight to Sachin’s requests. The resulting experi- By then, the EW had been recognised accord an invitation to Milton Friedman ences helped them attain maturity. The as the foremost social sciences journal to as well and politely listened to what this sociologist who used to write frequently be published from Asia. Contributions extremely conservative Chicago-school for Sachin on gender gaps in India was from scholars from different countries economist suggested. Rama Mehta, whose husband Jagat was helped EW achieve international recog- I might have missed a few names. But a member of the Indian Foreign Service nition. These writers not only enjoyed each of these visiting scholars would be (IFS) who later became Foreign Secre- writing for Sachin’s journal, when they trapped by Sachin. They fell in love with tary. Unfortunately, Rama died fairly visited Bombay, they equally enjoyed the the EW and contributed more than once early, even before the EW had completed long hours of intimate conversations they to it. The EW was tremendously appreci- its fi rst quinquennium. had with him at his Churchill Chambers ated by historians and American sociolo- fl at. Sachin came to be known across the gists, particularly because of a series of Impact of the Weekly world for his laughter, which would start “village studies” which Sachin had pub- Let me give you two specifi c examples of as a gentle cackle and its fi nale would lished on different occasions. Many of how seriously the EW was taken by be a full-throated roar—which, rumour these economists such as Bert Hoselitz, offi cials those days. The year was 1956. would have, could be heard from the when visiting India, would spend hours TTK was the Finance Minister and Benegal Gateway of India. enjoying Sachin’s company and were Rama Rau was the Governor of the RBI. regular contributors to the journal. On a specifi c issue, the RBI Governor’s Naipaul at Churchill Chambers George Rosen was an American scholar decision was nixed by TTK with some Let me mention an episode from the who arrived in Bombay in the early-1950s caustic comments. Sachin wrote an angry late-1950s concerning Vidiadhar Suraj- for conducting research on issues related editorial suggesting that if Rama Rau prasad (VS) Naipaul that may seem quite to public fi nance. He was passionately had any self-respect, he should not swal- incredible. Naipaul had met Sachin acci- attracted to both the EW and to the low the offensive remark of the Finance dently and was captivated by his person- Churchill Chambers fl at. He regularly Minister with quiet fortitude. Within ality. He insisted on spending a full week wrote for the EW and later, for the 24 hours of the publication of the edito- in his fl at in Churchill Chambers. EPW. He retired to Chicago. Frank Har- rial, Rama Rau resigned. TTK had been Sachin’s cook and all-round help, Paresh, ris, the British teacher of sociology taught the lesson of his life. would take care of Naipaul. Those days would also write frequently on issues re- The second instance I recall relates to Paresh had time to have romantic in- lated to the sociology of education for the time I was in Washington DC between volvements with the female helpers who both the EW and the EPW. I had been in January 1959 and January 1963 as a worked in several other apartments in touch with both of them for a very long member of the family of the Economic the same building. Naipaul was fascinat- time until a couple of years ago. Development Institute. I went to a recep- ed by Paresh’s versatility and wrote a Daniel Thorner, the celebrated agri- tion arranged by the Indian Embassy to story in which the central fi gure was none cultural economist, and his wife Alice, a celebrate 15 August 1959. A smart aleck other than Sachin’s valet. After Sachin sociologist, had an interesting past. They belonging to the IFS, presumably of the passed away, Paresh managed through were very close to V K Krishna Menon, who rank of First Secretary, was pontifi cating some stratagem or the other to arrive in had led the overseas wing of the Indian to a group of American journalists in a Los Angeles where he set up an Indian

14 AUGUST 20, 2016 vol lI no 34 EPW Economic & Political Weekly 50 YEARS OF EPW restaurant, married an American citizen For the next few days, I had to suspend But Sachin’s admirers would not give of Mexican origin and lived happily all my other activities and cart him up. They persuaded him to return to ever after. around for visiting friends and close ac- Bombay and start a new weekly by as- The EW’s fi nancial situation was always quaintances at their residences or when suring him that he would not have to precarious. But so what? It was at the he would go around to the different worry about fi nances and that they centre of national and international at- ministries to meet ministers or senior would arrange the funds necessary for tention. I remember one occasion when I civil servants. He would always don a the proposed new journal. Among the had to visit Bombay for an assignment. spotless white khadi dhoti and kurta. friends and admirers who raised money As was my standard practice, after I arrived Every time I would accompany him to for the now newly-named Economic and at the Santa Cruz airport in the morning, the entrance of a ministry, the personnel Political Weekly were: N P “Potla” Sen of I took a cab to Churchill Chambers. By at the reception table would assume that India Tobacco, B N Datar who was la- the time I reached there, Sachin had he was a very important politician and bour advisor to the Union Government, already left for offi ce. After refreshing would salute him with great deference. Dharma Kumar and her husband Lovraj myself, I went over to the EW offi ce and Sachin would respond with a brief nod and Sachin’s great admirer from the world made my entry into Sachin’s cabin. of the head. Those were days when strict of commerce, Hasmukhbhai D Parekh, Sachin got up immediately and started security arrangements were unheard of. founder of Housing Development Fi- searching the pockets of my trousers I would perform the same chore nance Corporation (HDFC). and shirt. I was baffl ed but was soon whenever he would visit Calcutta during Sachin had made up his mind to have speedily enlightened. Sachin had invited 1963–65. My apartment on Hungerford me as his executive editor and managing a young researcher, perhaps a student of Street was quite spacious and could eas- trustee of the Sameeksha Trust, a new Bert Hoseltiz, who had planned to con- ily accommodate him, but given his car- body that would own the EPW. I was told duct research in an Adivasi village close diac condition, he did not want to climb I would be made a formal offer with a to Thane. Sachin had invited her to have stairs. A particular routine would, how- total monthly salary of `1,500. I was then lunch with him. The researcher had al- ever, be observed. The moment he working with the Indian Institute of ready arrived and was talking to one of would get into my car, he would order Management Calcutta (IIMC) but decided the young scholars who was writing an me to go to a particular paan shop which to accept the offer to join Sachin in his editorial for the EW. Fernandes had would sell gundi paan. The rest of the new journal. The problem deterring me frightening news for him. There was not chores could wait. On the rare occasions was one of housing in Bombay. I could even a fi ve-rupee note in the offi ce cash when he stayed with me either in Delhi move in with Sachin in Churchill Cham- box. Sachin appropriated whatever mod- or in Calcutta, we used to play a silent bers but my wife was reluctant to accom- est sum I had on me and proudly ordered prank on each other. He would quietly pany me. Her concept of privacy was a cab to take her to lunch at a posh res- pick up a book that he wanted to read something Sachin was unable to com- taurant serving exotic food. Such narra- from my bookshelf without bothering to prehend but that was that. I applied for tives were typical of the manner in which let me know. When on the next occasion one year’s leave from the IIMC, which its the EW survived for nearly 16 years. I would visit Bombay, I would retrieve governing body immediately agreed to. I met Sachin for the fi rst time in 1954 that book from his bookshelf and bring it I assumed I would soon become the when I had joined the Ministry of France back with me. This did not deter him executive editor of the EPW. for a brief stint. He had heard of me from from repeating the ritual. This game Enter Romesh Thapar at this stage. He both A K Dasgupta and D P Mukerji, and continued indefi nitely. too was very close to Sachin and was his his family used to live very close to our great admirer. Since the early 1960s, residence in Dacca. He, therefore, knew A New Beginning Sachin would stay with him whenever all my antecedents. He took an immedi- Something altogether unexpected hap- he visited New Delhi. Earlier he would ate liking to me and I was among the pened in late 1965. Hiten was abroad for stay with Nandita Kripalani (Tagore’s foremost of the anonymous writers of some weeks and Fernandes told Sachin EW editorial pieces for the . In fact, the that no funds were available to pay wages Permission for Reproduction of entire Chaudhuri family was an integral to part-time employees who used to put Articles Published in EPW part of my own household. together the weekly. Sachin had to per- sonally talk to one of the Sekhsarias and No article published in EPW or part thereof An Unusual Character a person he met made a relatively un- should be reproduced in any form without In several respects, Sachin was a most kind comment. Sachin was infuriated. prior permission of the author(s). out-of-the-ordinary character. He had He thought that he had had enough and A soft/hard copy of the author(s)’s approval foibles and idiosyncrasies which are decided to stop publishing the EW and should be sent to EPW. now an integral part of my memory moved to Calcutta where he stayed for a In cases where the email address of the cells. During 1957 and 1958, whenever few months. Meanwhile, Hiten returned author has not been published along with he visited Delhi, I would go to receive to India. By then the weekly had become the articles, EPW can be contacted for help. him at Palam airport in my little Fiat car. history.

Economic & Political Weekly EPW AUGUST 20, 2016 vol lI no 34 15 50 YEARS OF EPW grand-niece) and her husband Krishna only recourse was to invite the left to for Sachin, took over charge. Silently, (who was nominated by come to her support and that he would he, along with the assistance of the ever- as a member of the ) but do the liaison work to achieve this end. loyal Fernandes, continued to keep pub- they had moved out of Delhi and gone to It happened that C Subramaniam, who lishing the issues of the new journal. Santiniketan. Romesh, a former commu- was minister for food and agriculture nist, had many friends in left circles and between 1964 and 1966 and was some- After Sachin Chaudhuri was on most friendly terms with what detached from the Syndicate, In the third week of December that year, Indira Gandhi as well. After the death of came along to help Indira Gandhi. I had to be in Bombay for an offi cial in January 1966, K T Chandy, founder and director of meeting for the APC and was supposed she was elected by the Congress Parlia- IIMC and my boss, had an interesting to return to Delhi by an evening fl ight on mentarian Party as his successor despite past. He had joined IIMC after retiring as a Sunday. Following his cardiac arrest, the stiff opposition from those belonging director of Hindustan Lever where he Sachin had moved to the 45 Pali Hill, to the so-called Syndicate, the party’s was the company’s legal brain. When he Bandra, bungalow owned by Hiten. I conservative wing. The Syndicate com- was a law student in London in the went over to Pali Hill on that Sunday prised K Kamaraj, (who 1930s, he was very active in Krishna morning and spent the day with Sachin. later became Prime Minister of India from Menon’s India League. Chandy was also When the taxi arrived in the early even- 1977 to 1979), Neelam Sanjiva Reddy associated with the young crowd which ing to take me to Santa Cruz airport, (who later became the President of India got recruited into the Communist Party Sachin slowly walked alongside me and in 1977) and Atulya Ghosh, the tall of Great Britain, individuals such as installed me into the taxi. In his last political leader from Bengal. While the P N Haksar, Snehangshu Acharya, Bhu- words to me, he told me that I must visit Syndicate had no alternative but to pesh Gupta, Mohan Kumaramangalam Bombay more frequently as he could not accept Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister, and . cope all by himself. Hiten was away at it insisted on packing the cabinet of On Romesh’s advice, Subramaniam that time and the only person staying ministers by its trusted individuals. A invited Chandy to take over as the chair- with Sachin was the daughter of his Calcutta barrister who happened to man of the Food Corporation of India, youngest sister. Despite the state of his have a name identical to that of Sachin which would compulsorily procure health, he had invited Surendra Patel Chaudhuri was Atulya Ghosh’s choice as grains from surplus-raising farmers and and his wife Krishna Ahuja for dinner fi nance minister. He was altogether distribute what was produced at subsi- on Monday evening. Sachin’s niece innocent of economic issues and the dised rates to the country’s poor. How- greeted the Patel couple when they Ministry of Finance became the hand- ever, it also became necessary to set up arrived; she was arranging dinner when tool of a group of bureaucrats who were an Agricultural Prices Commission (APC) Sachin suffered another cardiac attack. on the closest of terms with the top brass to settle the procurement prices of dif- By the time he could be taken to hospi- of the World Bank and the International ferent foodgrains. A Bombay economist tal, he was already dead. I returned to Monetary Fund in Washington DC. who was a socialist by conviction was Bombay on Tuesday evening. By then appointed as chairman of the commission the members of his family, including Indira Gandhi Invites Left but left within a few months as he could Sachin’s brothers, had arrived. The next There were major crop failures in 1965 not adjust to the ways of bureaucracy in day a small group of us took Sachin to and 1966. Food prices kept rising sky- New Delhi. Romesh argued long and the crematorium. high and the general price index moved hard with Sachin Chaudhuri to allow me As the fl eet of cars was ready to leave up rapidly. Bureaucrats, including one to join as the chairman of the APC. He for the crematorium, Hennadi, Debu-da’s who was closest to the Prime Minister, said my services would be required wife, who was a great one observing persuaded her to devalue the rupee, as only for a few months and I could join grammar, noticed that I was wearing a had been advised by Washington. Once the EPW thereafter. At heart, Sachin pair of trousers. She hurried inside the devaluation occurred, both the Bank was a fi rm Nehruvian and he agreed to house and emerged with a dhoti, which and the Fund would accord generous as- let me join the APC tentatively for a year she asked me to don before joining the sistance and liberal imports of food- on the understanding that I would try funeral. I meekishly obeyed her. Certain grains would straightaway bring down to make my stay in New Delhi as brief rituals were gone through at the crema- prices, she was told. Precisely the re- as possible. torium. I do not remember the details. verse happened. The devaluation was of The new weekly made its appearance Once the body was gently shoved into a stiff order and domestic prices rose on 20 August 1966. Maybe because of the burner and the shutters came down, even further. There were no supplies of the excitement which accompanied its all of a sudden I felt something happen- foodgrains from the US either. Indira publication, Sachin had a serious cardiac ing inside me. I rushed to a corner and a Gandhi was distraught and Romesh attack which incapacitated him. Krishna fl ood of tears came out of my eyes. It was Thapar was at that moment her closest Raj, who had joined the EW in 1960, was again Hennadi who watched the scene advisor outside the government and the completely devoted to the cause of the from a distance. She slowly approached Congress party. He suggested that her journal and had the highest admiration the spot where I was standing, drew me

16 AUGUST 20, 2016 vol lI no 34 EPW Economic & Political Weekly 50 YEARS OF EPW close to her and patted my back. It was Bombay High Court and brother-in-law and that I would not join the EPW in all over. of B N Datar. The other members of the Bombay. The brothers, particularly Hiten and trust were my teacher A K Dasgupta, The proper course of action would have Sankho, the sculptor, were insistent B N Ganguly of Delhi and my friend the been to appoint Krishna Raj since he was that since Sachin wanted me to be his economist K N Raj. There were only two already de facto in that position. But again, successor, I should immediately inform decisions that the trustees had to make at Dasgupta’s insistence, he suggested C Subramaniam that Sachin’s death has —the replacement of Sachin as manag- the name of a person who had apparently transformed the situation and that I ing trustee by Hiten and my appoint- agreed to join EPW at the proffered would have to give up my assignment ment as the editor of the journal. A most salary of `1,500 per month. I know who with the APC in Delhi. Hiten assured me astounding thing happened at the meet- Dasgupta’s advisor was but would never that he had already solved my residential ing of the Sameeksha Trust. My teacher, disclose the person’s identity. problem in Mumbai. His friend Yusuf A K Dasgupta, expressed virulent oppo- What surprised me was that I knew Khan—better known as Dilip Kumar sition to the proposal to appoint me as the person selected as editor of the EPW (who he had introduced to the world of editor of the EPW. Dasgupta, after several was someone Sachin disliked. I remem- cinema)—and his wife Saira Bano would months, expressed deep regrets to me ber occasions when Sachin kept him occasionally occupy the ground fl oor at for what he did. He said he had been standing in his cabin while speaking to Hiten’s house and potter around in the advised by a person extremely close to him. I asked him why. Sachin cryptically garden. Hiten had already spoken to Yusuf him that it would be a grave mistake to remarked: “The heart has its reasons.” who had agreed to discontinue such oc- make me the editor, as, at the very last After the editor moved on to a position casional visits so that my wife and myself minute, I would refuse to join and stick of great eminence in offi cialdom, the Sa- would have the ground fl oor entirely at to the allurement of holding an impor- meeksha Trust installed Krishna Raj as our disposal. Yusuf had readily agreed. tant government position. I was dis- editor of the EPW. Hiten and Sankho were arranging a appointed and, much more than that, Here ends my story. formal meeting of the Sameeksha Trust embarrassed that I had to go back and [As told to Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, editor, whose fi rst chairman was P B Gajendra- tell the Food and Agriculture Minister EPW. Writing assistance was provided by Varda gadkar, the then Chief Justice of the that something unexpected had happened Dixit and Bhavya Srivastava.]

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Economic & Political Weekly EPW AUGUST 20, 2016 vol lI no 34 17