Morarji Desai
Freedom fighter, Fourth Prime Minister of India (1977-79), Bharat Ratna 1991
Born: 29th February 1896, Bombay
Died: 10th April 1995, New Delhi
Here is the text of the letter I received from Mr Morarji Desai, in his own handwriting, on an "On board AIR-INDIA letterhead", on both sides of the sheet.
Oceana
NS Road Bombay
400020
4/6/84
Dear Kumari Arathi
I received your letter of 21/5 this morning when I returned from Abroad.
I give autographs only to those who put on only khadi clothes and I do not send my photograph to anybody here as it is not possible for me to send it to all who want it & there are too many who want it. This reply is in my own handwriting which will serve your purpose.
Yours sincerely
(Signed) Morarji Desai
The paper was so thin that it allowed the ink to soak through to the other side.
I must admit that the khadi thing I often remember. Though I don't wear only khadi clothes, I think I have sufficient of it to justify the autograph!
4th June 1984, Bombay
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
My autograph-collecting friend Shankar Vembu writes:
02-Mar-2014
Moraji Desai seems to have the same conditions for giving autographs like Mahatma Gandhi laid out to one Mr Patankar. Bapu had signed an autograph for the 14 yr old Patankar on the condition that he would promise to wear Khadi, in the enthusiasm to get the autograph the young boy agreed without knowing the consequences. Later as the young boy wanted to join the armed forces and how the armed forces would make it difficult for donning Khadi clothes he remembered of the promise made to Bapu. He promptly wrote to Bapu asking him to take back the autograph and forgive him. Bapu wrote a lengthy letter to the autograph collector stating that he is no one to forgive and only God can forgive him. The letter was hand written with Bapu's autograph. The young man till he passed away recently carried the grudge against Bapu inspite of having two autographs from him. Stories that autographs tell ! An Autograph is a slice of history.
Click the pic to enlarge and read, or read the article online here.
An article by Ramachandra Guha, Hindustan Times, Mumbai, June 8, 2014,
two weeks after Narendra Modi took over as Prime Minister of India