One century, not out

First published in 1950 when he was 45 years old, Minoo Masani’s book for children, Our Growing Human Family, was dedicated to his son. Interestingly and appropriately, the preface to its third edition, published by the Indian Liberal Group (ILG) in 2007, has been penned by his son Dr Zareer Masani. The plan was for the book to be ready for release in 2005, Masani’s birth centenary year, but two years were to go by before that was possible. A new concluding chapter, in the form of an epilog, to bridge the passage of time between 1950 and 2007 has been included, written by Firoze Hirjikaka. Incidentally, the ILG was founded in 1964 by Masani, author and parliamentarian, to promote the liberal point of view on issues of the day and to educate the public on the concepts of liberalism as a philosophy of governance that promotes a civil society.

Despite the lapse of over half a century the book’s contents remain valid, making for an interesting read. The many illustrations by C. G. H. Moorhouse are both informative and appealing, meant to whet the young reader’s curiosity to learn more about human civilization from the days of the hunter-gatherers to modern times.

Writes Zareer in the preface: "Our Growing Human Family is particularly interesting in the way it anticipates globalization a century before it happened. It’s a fascinating social and anthropological story for children about the human need for ever-expanding group identities, starting with the family and ending with the concept of world citizenship… (the book) was written (at a time) when the political and economic mood in India was becoming increasingly chauvinistic with the annexation of Kashmir and the raising of autarchic trade barriers against foreign competition. My father was a consistent liberal on both fronts, regardless of the unpopularity this sometimes brought him…

"As a New Left youth, I argued constantly with my father about what I perceived as his surrender to American-style capitalism. It is sobering to be reminded that his originality and courage in championing unpopular causes is at last reaping a reward in the thinking of politicians today… if they are honest enough to admit it… One century on, Minoo Masani is still not out.”

The book, priced at Rs 150, has been published by Kashmira Rao for the Indian Liberal Group, Sassoon Building, 1st Floor, 143, M. G. Road, Bombay 400001; telefax: 22843416; e-mail: ilg@vsnl.net; website: www.liberals India.com SHERENE VAKIL