Page 11 - Demo

ForewordWorking on this book has been a soul searching exercise as I reflected on my father's life. During his childhood he was groomed to take over as the Maharaja. He studied the country's transition to independence and entered electoral politics. He contributed to nation building in trying times and embraced the cause of socialism that enriched the humanist within him. During his waning years his spiritual quest helped him to hold together the highs and lows of his life with equanimity and a calm mind.The Vizianagaram Samasthanam has a rich history through the centuries. My father knew he was following in the footsteps of a distinguished line of ancestors. While he was never vocal about this, the duties and responsibilities that went with being its head constantly challenged him. He was excited by these challenges and liked to look at new ways %u2013 sometimes even maverick ideas, to meet them head on. He drew strongly from the awakening and reformist mindset that earlier generations of the family invested so much of themselves in.We gained our country's independence shortly after his coronation. The democrat within him was unleashed and he plunged headlong into electoral politics. The realization that we were now all citizens of India, instead of being subjects of a Crown meant so much to him. His taste for freedom and bringing a change in the lives of his constituents was tempered with a more practical and humane view on nation building. He gave up on anachronistic practices and worked to build social mobility. The need to nurture an environment that promotes progress and dignity especially for the marginalized can be gauged from his speeches in the state assembly and Parliament.1