Selected Writings

Eightieth birthday commemorative volume Lawyer par excellence renowned public speaker philanthropist and distinguished ambassador Nani Ardeshir Palkhivala was in public life for over five decades. His post-budget speeches in Bombay since 1958 have drawn national attention. Considered to be one of the world's top ten lawyers he was once described by former prime minister Morarji Desai as 'India's finest intellectual'. The profile at the beginning of this volume penned by the editors L.M. Singhvi M.R. Pai and S. Ramakrishnan brings together for the first time little known episodes from Nani Palkhivala's early years as also instances of his legendary memory kindness humility and generosity. The selections that follow from his best published writings and lectures show to good effect his multi-faceted personality and understanding of Indian business and society. They are on subjects as diverse as religion freedom and democracy the Indian Constitution judicial reforms the Indian economy socialism and education. There are also pieces on historical figures and contemporaries who have strongly influenced him. Some of the correspondence that Palkhivala has had with K.R. Narayanan Indira Gandhi Sanjay Gandhi V.P. Singh Dr Manmohan Singh Justice H.R. Khanna Swami Ranganathananda and others has been included along with rare photographs from the Palkhivala family album. All these offer a warm and full portrait of an individual who has spent his life in pursuit of excellence. Candid provocative and forceful the pieces in this volume reflect a mind that possesses a remarkable moral and intellectual integrity and a rare clarity of vision.