23th April, 2002
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting  


BOOKS ON BUILDERS OF MODERN INDIA RELEASED


The Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Smt. Sushma Swaraj released three books, C. Rajagopalachari, Harekrushna Mahtab and Bidhan Chandra Roy, brought out by Publications Division, at a function here today. The books are a part of the Division’s series on Builders of Modern India. This series includes detailed, authentic and well-researched books on the life and works of important personalities who have contributed to the building of modern India.

Releasing the books, Smt. Swaraj said that the high values, which these stalwarts cherished and protected zealously, need to be inculcated among the present and coming generations. The Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Shri Ramesh Bais said that similar biographies are also being published on the lives of other great leaders.

The biographers S/Shri M. N. Das, Nitish Sen Gupta and R. K. Murthy said that these leaders reconciled the state aspirations with national interests.

The books on C. Rajagopalachari by Shri R.K. Murthy gives a deep insight in to Rajaji’s multifaceted personality – Rajajji the philosopher, the story teller, the statesman and the ‘emperor among patriots’. The author is a well-known short story writer with several books, articles and skits to his credit.

The biography of Harekrushna Mahtab contains a detailed life sketch of this freedom fighter who is considered to be the builder of modern Orissa. It has been co-authored by Prof. M.N. Das, former Vice Chancellor of Utkal University, Member of Rajya Sabha and a close associate of Shri Harekrushna Mahtab; and Shri C. P. Nanda, a research scholar and reader at Ravenshaw College, Cuttack.

The life sketch of the physician, chief minister and maker of modern West Bengal, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy has been written by Dr. Nitish Sengupta, former Secretary to the Government of India who, as a young administrator, had a chance to see Dr. B. C. Roy working. Dr. Sengupta is at present Member of Parliament and Director General of International Management Institute, New Delhi.

Publications Division, a media unit of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is one of the leading Publication Houses in the country. It holds the exclusive mandate for preserving national heritage and disseminating information through the production and sale of low priced, quality reading material on subjects of national importance. The Division’s books are well researched, authentic, detailed and cover subjects like history and culture, biographies, science and technology, country and people, children’s literature, speeches of prime ministers and presidents and reference books like India and Bharat. It brings out over 150 books every year. In 2001-2002 it published 157 books in English. Hindi and other Indian languages. Publications Division also publishes about 21 magazines including Yojana in 13 languages, Employment News/Rozgar Samachar in Hindi, English and Urdu, Kurukshetra in Hindi & English, Ajkal in Hindi and Urdu and Bal Bharati in Hindi.

Besides this, the Division has brought out the Complete Works of Mahatma Gandhi in 100 hard bound volumes in Hindi and English and also a multimedia CD in Hindi and English containing 15 minutes of his voice, 30 minutes of film, about 550 photographs and e-book of over 55,000 pages based on his collected works. The books and journals of Publications Division are very moderately priced and hence are within reach of the common masses. However, despite its social commitment the division is consistently making profits.