By Moira Dynon B.Sc.
1970 Melbourne
This article was written by Moira Dynon following her trip to India in 1969. Extracts were published in UNESCO News.
India, with an area some two fifths of that of Australia, is diverse in its climate, its terrain and its people. She has some of the highest mountains, the most expansive plains and comprises some of the wettest, the hottest and the coldest regions in the world. She stretches from the Himalayan ranges in the north to Cape Comorin in the Indian Ocean. To the west lies the Arabian Sea and to the east the Bay of Bengal.
Contrasts
Indians may be highly educated or illiterate. They may be Hindu, Mohammedan, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsee, Jain or Jewish. They may speak say one or more of the fourteen official regional languages and any of the hundreds of dialects. But underlying all the contrasts there is a profound unity of nationhood, which is embedded in the people’s way of life and thought.
This spirit of unity becomes more obvious to the outside world through the Gandhian movement and the struggle for independence. The transition from imperial rule and the accession of the Princely States was followed by the adoption of the Federal Constitution proclaiming India a Sovereign Democratic Republic. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister.
All Federal systems have their problems and India is no exception. But the national spirit of India has been profoundly demonstrated in recent years on numerous occasions such as when her borders were attacked.
With a population of 550 million she is the world’s largest democracy. Against the background of her ancient civilisation and culture she is today in the process of social and economic change aimed at raising living standards of her people, by democratic means. Side by side there is evidence of the ancient and the new, of the primitive and the most modern scientific developments. To take an example, stand on the 1500 feet wide modern Howrah Bridge. Over it moves an endless stream of vehicles ranging from bullock carts to the most modern Indian built motor cars and trucks. Under it on the Hooghly River sail ocean-going ships, some of them Indian built. Visit the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and you will find world renowned scientists engaged in programmes for the use of atomic energy in agriculture, medicine, industry and as a source of cheap electric power. In the villages the realisation that education pays is growing. In seventeen years the number of school-going children has increased threefold to 70 million but in some places you will still meet parents’ resistance to school and to the idea of losing a possible wage-earning child.
Water resources have been harnessed for modern development. The countryside of Madras State is studded with electric pumps. In the Punjab State you will see one of the world’s greatest engineering feats in the Bhakra Dam, which feeds power houses and a network of lined irrigation channels. Using tractors, modern farming implements and fertiliser, today the farmers there are producing two and three high yielding crops a year. This is in contrast to those areas which still have to rely on the vagaries of the monsoon.
Without doubt there is an impressive record of progress in agriculture, industry, health and education. But it is only to be expected that in the transformation stage from the old to the modern with the many contrasts, there will be some turbulence in dealing with the challenges and problems of the nation in the setting of a deep rooted and highly articulate democracy.
My overall impression is of a country peace loving and democratic, multi racial and multi religious and of a progressing nation tackling gigantic problems with courage and determination. But the rising expectations of the masses with the growing spirit of contestation demand rapid economic and social progress.
U.N.E.S.C.O. Seminar
In February it was my privilege to participate in the National Seminar on Human Rights held at Madras and organised by the non-governmental Indian organisation Guild of Service in collaboration with U.N.E.S.C.O. I regarded this invitation as an honour to Australia.
The Inaugural Address was delivered by the Honourable Mr. P. Govinda Menon, M.P., Union Minister for Law and Social Welfare, and the Seminar was presided over by His Excellency Sardar Ujjal Singh, Governor of Madras State.
Messages were received from the then President of India, the late Dr. Zakir Hussain, the Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, and from the Deputy Director-General of U.N.E.S.C.O. in Paris, Dr. Malcolm Adiseshiah and other dignatories.
The three day Seminar was held in the magnificent Rajiji Hall. The building, the paintings and the five hundred year old crystal chandeliers are fabulous. This historic site gave emphasis to the importance of the occasion.
Delegates attending represented governmental and non-governmental agencies from all parts of India. Members of Parliament, the Consular Corps, Educationists, Jurists, Doctors, Religious leaders, representatives of the Armed Forces and Social workers were present.
Eminent personalities who participated in the Seminar included the Honourable Dr. Tut Sathyavani muthu, Minister for Social Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu, Mr. Sunderlal Nahata, Sheriff of Madras, Mr. M. A. Manickavelu Naicker, Chairman of the Madras Legislative Council, the Chief Justice of Madras High Court Mr. M. Ananthanarayanan, General K. M. Cariappa and Dr. S. Narasimhan.
This Seminar cannot be spoken of without reference to Mrs. M. Clubwala Jadhav, M.L.C., Chairman of the Guild of Service and Honorary Director of the Seminar. She is renowned internationally for her outstanding work for the underprivileged and for women’s rights.
In her address, Mrs. Clubwala Jadhav pointed to the fact that “in this century of spectacular developments, the developing countries are still faced with the problems of illiteracy, ignorance, economic backwardness and technological lag”. She made a strong plea for the progressive reduction of the gap between developed and developing nations. Pointing to the fact that many international organisations are engaged in programmes of aid and co-operation, Mrs. Jadhav made special mention of the help rendered by Aid India Campaign (Australia).
Topics
In the context of human rights the topics discussed included International Understanding, Education, Science and Technology for Social advancement, the development of the handicapped, ethical basis for international living and international programmes for youth development.
I accepted the invitation to be Chairman of Section I dealing with Education and International Understanding. This involved delivering Sectional Chairman’s Address at the Inaugural Session, chairing the sectional meetings dealing with education and international understanding, and the presentation at the Concluding Session of the Report and resolutions adopted by the Section. The discussions covered a wide range of subjects including racial discrimination, the growing economic gap between the developed and developing nations, Gandhian approach to Human Rights, the role of U.N.E.S.C.O. in the Development of Arts and Culture, International Tourism, Education and educational exchange programmes.
Amongst the many resolutions carried were appeals to the United Nations to promote inter-racial harmony and to accelerate the implementation of the one per cent target as resolved by the U.N.C.T.A.D. Conferences. The constructive role of the Colombo Plan in assisting progress and development in South and South East Asia was acknowledged.
Papers were presented in Section I by Mr. Thomas M. Recknagel, American Consul General, by Mrs. S. Jagannathan, Director, Government of India Tourist Office, Bombay, and by four non governmental Indian experts in the areas under consideration. The deliberations of the Seminar were purposeful and practical and there was lively exchange of ideas.
Section II was chaired by the distinguished Indian industrialist and philanthropist, Mr. D. C. Kothari, and papers were presented on subjects dealing with Service and Technology for social advancement and technical education. It was recognised that service and technology should be fully available to the socially and economically underprivileged people in order that they may attain their legitimate rights as human beings.
A number of social functions were associated with the Seminar including the Reception at Raj Bhavan given by His Excellency the Governor and Sardarni Ujjal Singh. Dinners held out of doors on the balmy tropical nights and hosted by Mr. Sunderlal Nahata, Sheriff of Madras and Vice Chairman of the Seminar, and by Mr. D. C. Kothari, Chairman Section II and his wife, were memorable.
N.C.W.I.
Ten days prior to this U.N.E.S.C.O. Seminar, I visited Poona for the three day Conference organised by the National Council of Women in India with the theme “Comparative Studies of Women’s Progress in the East”. I had been invited to present a paper under the title “Women and Social Welfare in Australia” and to chair Section 2 dealing with “Women and Social Welfare”.
This Conference was opened by His Excellency Dr. P. V. Cherian, Governor of Maharashtra State. The Inaugural Address was given by the Honourable Mrs. Voilet Alva, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, who was the chairman of Section I of the Conference. The sessions and the social gatherings provided me with a unique opportunity to meet and share views with so many distinguished women from all States of India. The Poona Women’s Council arranged a varied and enjoyable programme. The Conference was an unforgettable experience enriched by the warm hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Atur Sangtani with whom I stayed.
From the discussions it emerged that all social welfare and training cum production programmes conducted by the women’s organisations are limited by shortage of funds. To me it seems quite remarkable how much was being achieved with the meagre resources available. It was obvious that what is being done is due in large measure to the zeal of the social workers involved.
Devotion
I sensed the same spirit of dedication in a multitude of workers in the voluntary organisations throughout India, as for example, the Guild of Service, Red Cross, Y.W.C.A., All India Women’s Conference and others. Their work covers a wide range of activities including services for child welfare, socio-economic programmes for needy women, institutions and reception centres for the care and training of destitute women, homes and workshops for the physically and mentally handicapped, night shelters, social education activities, urban community centres and infirmaries. Many of the voluntary organisations are affiliated with the governmental Central Social Welfare Board which assists them with grants for approved social welfare projects and co-ordinates their social welfare activities.
Services
India has a long tradition of social work through voluntary effort. His Excellency Sardar Ujjal Singh, Governor of Madras State, told me “Social service does and should form a part of our culture. Saints and philosophers have taught us that service to mankind voluntarily performed, is service to God”. Special concern for the weakest sections of the people and the betterment of their social and economic conditions is in accordance with the life principles of Mahatma Ghandi. But despite the efforts of the social workers involved, the problems confronting the Government and the voluntary organisations are tremendous.
Milk
It has been a privilege for Aid India Campaign (Australia) through its gifts of processed milk to co-operate with a number of humanitarian governmental and non governmental social welfare programmes. My observations all over India, from Kashmir to Kerala, from Bombay to Calcutta, confirmed that not only are the milk powder gifts of benefit to the recipients (needy children, nursing mothers and the sick) but they are creating goodwill for Australians. I have distributed milk gifted by the Campaign and seen the remedial effects on under-nourished children in orphanages, creches, day nurseries, refugee centres, relief in disaster areas, Ashram schools, school milk feeding programmes and hospitals. It was an experience I shall never forget.
Medical experts and the social workers stressed that insofar as they help to safeguard the health of the future generation, the processed milk gifts are of both long term and short term significance.
The Real Problem
On the whole, the people of India expect better living standards in the foreseeable future. To an Australian their demands are not unreasonable – they want food to eat, opportunities for gainful work, health services, education for their children, a supply of water and power for their towns and villages.
The example of modernisation itself is changing the attitudes of the village people. Today in the Indian villages you will find the indications of a desire for progress. Poverty, hunger, disease and ignorance are no longer accepted as inevitable.
Overall there is a continuing considerable development in all spheres. But the real problem of India is how to achieve more rapid progress.
India has the will, the capacity and the potential for rapid social and economic development. The question is whether, in the context of her foreign exchange position, the affluent countries have the vision to supplement and encourage her efforts in more meaningful ways – trade – mutual co-operation – aid.
Obviously what happens in a country containing one sixth of the world population is of importance.
Only the future will tell whether India’s development was fast enough and in time.