Good sir

If Rustom Masani had been asked which was the most embarrassing moment of his life, he would probably have replied, the moment when he found himself on the honors list of the Government of India. Averse to titles and awards as he was, Knighthood would only be a burden to him and provide a handle to those who chose to believe that he had accepted the leadership of the National War Front with this in mind. The story of the strange circumstances in which he accepted the title, against his wishes and that of his family members, is little known, but needs in all fairness to be revealed.

A discreet enquiry from Government House just before New Year’s day, 1943, whether he would be in Bombay during those days made him suspect that some New Year honor was coming his way. He phoned H. V. R. Iengar, then provincial organizer of the Front, whether he knew anything about it. Iengar revealed that an enquiry had been made from Government House whether Masani would accept Knighthood and that he had informed the Governor’s private secretary that although Masani was generally averse to conferring honors, if it was the strong wish of His Excellency (HE), Masani would probably accept it. On Masani’s telling him bluntly that he would not like to accept any such title, a nervous Iengar rushed to his residence although it was half past nine in the evening. Masani reiterated that he would be stultified by any such title and added that he would write to the Governor requesting his name be dropped before the Honors List was published. Iengar explained that newspapers in England and India must have already got the lists and apart from the fact the name could not at that stage be dropped, HE would be very much cut up.

Thus, by a trick of puckish fate, plain Mr Masani became a reluctant Sir Rustom to the world. To one who detested pomp and ceremony, the Memorandum of Instructions for Knights-Bachelor-Designates, the rehearsal before the actual investiture, caused acute consternation. The printed "Memorandum of Instructions for dress” Masani preserved for its curiosity value and to satisfy his sense of the absurd and the ridiculous. At the investiture held at the Viceroy’s house, New Delhi, on February 23, 1943, Masani appeared simply in morning dress, without medals or decorations.

Excerpted from Freedom First, June 2009