Precious pages of first PM Jawaharlal Nehru's letters in Pune bookshop
Upendra Dixit of International Book Service in Pune. (TOI photo by Sadanand Godse)
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PUNE: Two typewritten letters from several decades ago adorn a proud corner of the 83-year-old International Book Service in Pune. The pages of these letters could be yellowing with age, but their significance is as much historical as it is about the rare bond a national leader shared with a bookstore.
The two letters showcased in this shop were typed and signed by the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru in 1961, after a devastating flood had hit Pune. The Times of India had reported then that this shop, which had rare books from across the world, was Nehru's first stop in flood-hit Pune. On August 11, 1961, Nehru— who had visited the city-based book store thrice before the flood and finally on July 26, 1961— wrote with deep remorse to the store's owner, V N Dixit: "...It was sad that your work of many years should be largely destroyed by floods. But I have no doubt that this will be reborn again and will function with greater vigour..."
The International Book Service was established in January 1, 1931, and was possibly one of Nehru's favorite bookstores. In a letter to his daughter Indira Gandhi — compiled in 'Two Alone, Two Together: Letters between Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru'— Nehru wrote: "I have often sent you names of books, mostly new and sometimes old, which I wanted you to purchase for me. But you could not get them at the usual booksellers. You might keep a list of those books with you in case they are now available. In particular I want you to note down the name of a good bookshop in Poona which often keeps books which cannot be obtained elsewhere. This is: The International Book Depot, Deccan Gymkhana, Poona Fort."
Upendra Dixit of International Book Service with letters of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. (TOI photo by Sadanand Godse)
Upendra Dixit, the current owner, recollects the day when Nehru visited the store in 1961 and met his father. "Nehru was visiting Pune after the Panshet floods. He was on his motorcade in an open jeep and was accompanied by state's first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan and the then state governor Sri Prakasa. The motorcade was coming from the other side of the road, when Nehru spotted my father outside the store. He told his convoy to stop his jeep as he wanted to see my father. He got out of the vehicle, walked towards the store, came inside and spent half an hour assessing the damage the flood had caused," said the 74-year-old.
Dixit remembers that the flood had destroyed the store and at one point the structure had gone completely under water. Nehru regretted the destruction, but expressed confidence in Dixit's ability to rebuild it. "Nehru visited the store four times during his lifetime, the last time in 1961. He had a great affinity for books and voraciously read works on history, international relations, politics and biographies. I was in Mumbai when I read in the newspapers he visited our store and felt sorry that I had missed the chance to see him," said Dixit.
Students pay tribute to a sand sculpture of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru made by noted sand artist Sudarshan Pattanaik on the eve of his 125th Birth anniversary in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. (PTI Photo)
V N Dixit finally rebuilt the book store and decided to reopen it on the Independence Day of 1961. He wrote to Nehru—who, by then, had become a close acquaintance—informing him about the feat.
Soon V N Dixit received a letter dated August 11, 1961, carrying the stamp of 'Prime Minister's House, New Delhi'. It was personally signed by Nehru and read: Dear Shri Dixit, I have your letter of the 9th August. I am happy to learn that the International Book Service is going to reopen on Independence Day, the 15th August. You have, of course, all my good wishes. Your book service has many admirers all over India. I have been one of them. It was sad that your work of many years should be largely destroyed by floods. But I have no doubt that this will be reborn again and will function with greater vigour."
In another letter on August 12, 1961, Nehru wrote: You certainly have all my good wishes in the re-building of your International Book Service. This service did very good work and was commended by many people in the past. The disaster that overtook it last year was painful. But I have no doubt that you will build it anew and make it even better than before. Yours sincerely..."
The two letters showcased in this shop were typed and signed by the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru in 1961, after a devastating flood had hit Pune. The Times of India had reported then that this shop, which had rare books from across the world, was Nehru's first stop in flood-hit Pune. On August 11, 1961, Nehru— who had visited the city-based book store thrice before the flood and finally on July 26, 1961— wrote with deep remorse to the store's owner, V N Dixit: "...It was sad that your work of many years should be largely destroyed by floods. But I have no doubt that this will be reborn again and will function with greater vigour..."
The International Book Service was established in January 1, 1931, and was possibly one of Nehru's favorite bookstores. In a letter to his daughter Indira Gandhi — compiled in 'Two Alone, Two Together: Letters between Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru'— Nehru wrote: "I have often sent you names of books, mostly new and sometimes old, which I wanted you to purchase for me. But you could not get them at the usual booksellers. You might keep a list of those books with you in case they are now available. In particular I want you to note down the name of a good bookshop in Poona which often keeps books which cannot be obtained elsewhere. This is: The International Book Depot, Deccan Gymkhana, Poona Fort."
Upendra Dixit of International Book Service with letters of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. (TOI photo by Sadanand Godse)
Upendra Dixit, the current owner, recollects the day when Nehru visited the store in 1961 and met his father. "Nehru was visiting Pune after the Panshet floods. He was on his motorcade in an open jeep and was accompanied by state's first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan and the then state governor Sri Prakasa. The motorcade was coming from the other side of the road, when Nehru spotted my father outside the store. He told his convoy to stop his jeep as he wanted to see my father. He got out of the vehicle, walked towards the store, came inside and spent half an hour assessing the damage the flood had caused," said the 74-year-old.
Dixit remembers that the flood had destroyed the store and at one point the structure had gone completely under water. Nehru regretted the destruction, but expressed confidence in Dixit's ability to rebuild it. "Nehru visited the store four times during his lifetime, the last time in 1961. He had a great affinity for books and voraciously read works on history, international relations, politics and biographies. I was in Mumbai when I read in the newspapers he visited our store and felt sorry that I had missed the chance to see him," said Dixit.
Students pay tribute to a sand sculpture of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru made by noted sand artist Sudarshan Pattanaik on the eve of his 125th Birth anniversary in Bhubaneswar on Thursday. (PTI Photo)
V N Dixit finally rebuilt the book store and decided to reopen it on the Independence Day of 1961. He wrote to Nehru—who, by then, had become a close acquaintance—informing him about the feat.
Soon V N Dixit received a letter dated August 11, 1961, carrying the stamp of 'Prime Minister's House, New Delhi'. It was personally signed by Nehru and read: Dear Shri Dixit, I have your letter of the 9th August. I am happy to learn that the International Book Service is going to reopen on Independence Day, the 15th August. You have, of course, all my good wishes. Your book service has many admirers all over India. I have been one of them. It was sad that your work of many years should be largely destroyed by floods. But I have no doubt that this will be reborn again and will function with greater vigour."
In another letter on August 12, 1961, Nehru wrote: You certainly have all my good wishes in the re-building of your International Book Service. This service did very good work and was commended by many people in the past. The disaster that overtook it last year was painful. But I have no doubt that you will build it anew and make it even better than before. Yours sincerely..."
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