[Letter to S V Raju]

Summary

This one-page letter, dated March 15, 1985, is written by Pranlal C. Kalyani to S. V. Raju. Kalyani acknowledges Raju’s decision to undertake doctoral research at Bombay University on the Swatantra Party during 1967–1974 and offers assistance with the project.

Kalyani explains that he had destroyed the Swatantra Party’s files, registers, and correspondence from its office at A/6 Modi Chambers two years earlier, but says he can still provide information and anecdotes from memory. He proposes meeting Raju during his next visit to Bombay, or receiving him in Rajkot, and asks him to convey his respects to Masaniji. The letter is therefore both a personal response and a small record of the archival difficulties surrounding research into the Swatantra Party.

Key points

• The letter is dated March 15, 1985, and is signed by Pranlal C. Kalyani in Rajkot.
• Kalyani responds to S. V. Raju’s plan to pursue doctoral research at Bombay University.
• The proposed dissertation concerns the Swatantra Party between 1967 and 1974.
• Kalyani states that he destroyed the Swatantra Party Office’s records, files, registers, and correspondence two years earlier.
• He offers to supply information and anecdotes from memory through a personal meeting.
• The letter refers to the Swatantra Party office at A/6 Modi Chambers and sends respects to Minoo Masani.