Pages from A Quit India Freedom Fighter's Diary 1944-45 (An Old and Rare Book)

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Dr. Krishnabai Nimbkar, 89, a medical by profession but a committed freedom fighter and national worker, has been in the public life for the past many decades.

She was a member of the first Central Social Welfare Board and later Adviser, Social Education, Women's Programmes in the Community Project Administration. As a member of the Central Social Welfare Board, she was deputed to study rural extension work in several countries abroad including the United States, Canada and Japan. In Japan she made a special study of that country's rural industries.

She was the founder member of the Bharatiya Grameen Mahila Sangh. She was invited by the Uttar Pradesh government to advice on Women's Programmes in its Planning Research Action Institute in Lucknow.

Dr. Nimbkar was one of the few outstanding women who, during the National Emergency, redeemed the honour of women of this country.

She was one of the earliest who actively joined the Total Revolution Movement spearheaded by the Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan.

She resides in Pune and continues her career as a constructive rocio-political activist, despiser growing age.

It is with a sense of pride, happiness and nostalgia that 1 write this foreword to the diary of Dr. (Smt.) Krishnabai Nimbkar, BA. M.B.B.S., which is to be published shortly. Pride - as Dr. Krishnabai was my class fellow in the Madras Medical College, an ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi and an activist in the 1942 Underground Movement. We all, even our very pro-British Anglo-Indian classmates, admired her for her courage, sincerity and determination. Happiness at being requested by her to write this foreword; and nostalgia for the last days of our youth, when we were full of idealism and faith, ready to "do or dic" in the struggle for the complete independence of our country.

This diary should be of immense help to all those who are interested in objectively studying the underground struggle that was conducted after the Quit India resolution was adopted by the AICC of the Indian National Congress meeting in 1942 in Bombay. Of special interest are the author's long talks with Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Nehru, and most justified are the author's bitter criticism of Shri C. Rajagopalachari on his stand during the Quit India Movement. Her report, as I understand from her, on the underground movement carried out in Madras and other parts of the Presidency was submitted by her to Mr. Muthuranga Mudaliar, President of the then Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, and that this report may be available in the old records of the AICC of that period. A reference, however, to two such reports is given in chapters 13 and 14 of this diary.