B. Vivekanandan is former Chairman of the Centre for American and West European Studies at the School of International studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. He was a Visiting Professor at Carleton University, Canada, and at the University of Helsinki, Finland. He has also been a Visiting Fellow at the University of Constanz, Germany; the Karl Renner Institute, Austria; and at the Olof Palme International Centre, Sweden.
He is the lone Indian recipient of the Honorary Doctorate of Social Sciences (D.S.Sc.(h.c)), the highest honour of the University of Helsinki, in the 350-year history of this prestigious Award. He has authored, co-authored, edited and co-edited 47 books on international relations, foreign and security policy, social democracy, welfare state systems, Scandinavia, and so on, which have been published in India, Britain and the United States. He has also published many research articles in prestigious international journals, including Orbis (Philadelphia), Asian Survey (Berkley, California), The Round Table (London), Asia-Pacific Community (Tokyo), International Studies (New Delhi). India Quarterly (New Delhi), Indian Journal of Political Science (New Delhi) and Social Science in Perspective. (Trivandrum).
His research visits abroad (several times in many countries) include the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Soviet Union, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, and United States.
During the last many years, Professor B. Vfivekanandan's profile has been published regularly in several editions of prestigious global reference books, like Who's Who in the World, and Who's Who in Asia, published by the US based Marquis Who's Who (New Jersey), and in the Dictionary of International Biography: Leading Educators of the World; and 2000 Outstanding Intellectuals of the 21st Century, published by the UK based, International Biographical Centre, in Cambridge.
Many volumes have been written about India's colorful diplomat and politician, Shri V.K. Krishna Menon, but Dr. Vivekanandan has shown that one can encapsulate his life and work in a short lecture because of his deep understanding of the man and his mission. The speaker had the added advantage of having met and interacted with Menon in London and also in India. He has highlighted his accomplishments as a freedom fighter, a diplomat and a Minister, steering clear of the animosity that many Indians and foreigners had for him primarily because of his leftist leanings, and the perception that he had undue influence on Pandit Nehru.
Dr. Vivekanandan evaluates his work in the UK for many years as an Indian freedom fighter and he believes that his advocacy of India's freedom as an active member of the British Labour Party, had an important role to play in building public opinion in the UK in favour of India. At the UN, he not only championed the cause of India, but also made an important contribution to world peace. He made many enemies in the West, but everyone admired his sharp intellect and power of oratory. His marathon speech on Jammu and Kashmir in the UN Security Council remains the most authentic assertion of India's sovereignty over Jammu and Kashmir.
As the Defence Minister, Krishna Menon tried to strengthen our defence capability, but the Chinese aggression of 1962 led to his resignation, and his political future became grim without Pandit Nehru.
I am glad that this important lecture is being published as a booklet as it is an excellent summing up of Krishna Menon as a freedom fighter, diplomat, a minister and moreover, a prime mover of independent India.
India's independence movement witnessed the glow of two outstanding Overseas freedom fighters-V.K. Krishna Menon and Subhas Chandra Bose. Of the two, Subhas Chandra Bose chose the path of war against the British colonial power to make India free, and created the Indian National Army (INA) to achieve it. But, Krishna Menon chose the path of waging a peaceful struggle in the citadel of the British Empire, London, by building up political support in Britain in favour of India's independence.
The inspiration to choose the methodology of appealing to the reason of the British political mind, came largely from his mentor in London, Professor Harold J. Laski, a Fabian Socialist, political thinker, and philosopher. Laski was the Director of the London School of Economics (LSE) and, at the same time, was also the Chairman of the British Labour Party, ever since Menon joined the LSE in 1925 as his student. Krishna Menon was a diligent and hardworking student of this revered genius, who made a great impact on shaping the political outlook and approach of the young Menon. And, Laski had no hesitation to rate Krishna Menon as "the best student" he ever had. Being the Chairman of the British Labour Party, he introduced Krishna Menon to a large number of important Labour Party leaders, and intellectuals, in the British Parliament and outside.
An objective evaluation of the role Krishna Menon played in London, during India's struggle for independence, would underline the fact that in the galaxy of India's legendary freedom fighters, V.K. Krishna Menon belongs to the class of venerated leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru. He has become legendary for the reason that his chosen arena of that epic struggle was London, the citadel of the British Empire. In addition, his contribution to advance India's freedom struggle from England between 1928 and 1947, and the sacrifices he made all along in pursuit of it, almost alone, in the fortress of the British Empire, was unique.
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