Formation of Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund (JNMF)
The Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund formally came into being when a National Committee consisting of 110 members was convened in New Delhi on 17 August 1964 under the Chairmanship of Dr S. Radhakrishnan, then President of India. This Committee unanimously adopted a Deed of Declaration of Trust and nominated the first Trustees, Holding Trustees and Members of the Executive Committee.
http://www.jnmf.in/history.html
Publications of Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund (JNMF)
JNMF started publication of works of Nehru.
The first series covering the period upto the formation of Interim Government in 1946, appeared in 15 volumes. Another 55 volumes covering the period of independence upto December 1959 have also been published. It is expected that the series will require another 30 volumes to cover the remaining years till his death in May 1964, and is likely to be completed by 2016-2017.
http://www.jnmf.in/publications.html One such publication was Discovery of India republished in 1981 by JNMF.
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This write-up in India today notes: "To ensure Lal Bahadur Shastri didn't move in, the Nehru Memorial Trust or Fund was hurriedly created and "Teen Murti was dedicated to the nation and the 'people of India'". In sum, it stayed with the Family, the Congress."
While the politics of this observation and family inheritance disputes among the Gandhi's is a separate issue, it is clear that Nehru royalties are dedicated and bequeathed to the nation and the 'people of India'.
The Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund formally came into being when a National Committee consisting of 110 members was convened in New Delhi on 17 August 1964 under the Chairmanship of Dr S. Radhakrishnan, then President of India. This Committee unanimously adopted a Deed of Declaration of Trust and nominated the first Trustees, Holding Trustees and Members of the Executive Committee.
The first Executive Committee of the Fund, consisting of 22 members, was presided over by Dr Zakir Husain. Shrimati Indira Gandhi was made Secretary of the Fund.
Publications of Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund (JNMF)
JNMF started publication of works of Nehru.
The first series covering the period upto the formation of Interim Government in 1946, appeared in 15 volumes. Another 55 volumes covering the period of independence upto December 1959 have also been published. It is expected that the series will require another 30 volumes to cover the remaining years till his death in May 1964, and is likely to be completed by 2016-2017.
http://www.jnmf.in/publications.html One such publication was Discovery of India republished in 1981 by JNMF.
Sonia Gandhi
“Having set shining example of probity in public life, Sonia went on a resignation spree, stepping down from all socio-cultural organizations – including those connected with the Nehru-Gandhi family – that have been receiving government funding. She severed all associations with the the RGF, Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust, Jawahar Bhavan Trust, Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, Indian Council for Child Welfare Trust, Swaraj Bhavan Trust, Kamla Nehru Memorial Society and Hospital, Nehru Trust for Cambridge University, Round Square (International Group of Schools) United Kingdom, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. She also resigned from the chairpersonship of the Jallianwala Bagh National Trust.” (Rasheed Kidwai Rasheed, Sonia -- A biography, Penguin Books of India, 2012, p.160)
Nehru royalties
A question on royalties received for Nehru's books has been discussed:
While the subject of Soviet Union remittances to Nehru's accounts should be a matter for detailed investigation in view of national security/sovereignty implications, the copyright issue of Discovery of India should be a matter of national interest.
The only people who could have read the books of Nehru were academicians, teachers or some students.. There is no proof anywhere that Soviet Union published millions of copies of the books which resulted in the Nehru family getting huge amount as royalties. The statement that his books continued to get royalties from Communist countries than all western countries put together needs to be discussed. This is so especially in the backdrop of allegations by Vasili Mitrokhin, a former KGB agent, that many top Indian politicians were under the payroll of the Soviet Union. Do such royalties also explain that Schweizer Illustrierte (Swiss magazine) expose in November, 1991 of Rajiv Gandhi’s Swiss Bank accounts?
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The copyright of 1981 edition of the Discovery of India rests with the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund as seen from the copyright page of Penguin edition (reproduced below), Teenmurti House. But the 2004 edition’s copy right is with Sonia Gandhi!. How does the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, Teenmurthi House, which was bequeathed to the people of India and dedicated to the nation become the property of Sonia Gandhi?
First edition of Discovery of India was brought out in 1946 by Signet Press, Calcutta. Next edition brought out in 1981 is obviously under the series of publications brought out by Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund as part of the objectives of the Fund. These publications included Discovery of India brought out in 1981. As Sonia Gandhi is said to have disassociated herself from all socio-cultural organizations connected with the Nehru-Gandhi family, it is confusing that the Copyright of the 2004 edition of the book Discovery of India by Penguin Group is shown as Sonia Gandhi.
It appears that with the dedication to the nation of Nehru's legacy, the Nehru royalties should go to the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund as the Copyright legatee. This is a matter for further examination and follow-up by the concerned agencies of Governments.
The credit of Nehru royalties to Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund will help augment the implementation of objectives of the Fund.
Gandhi versus Gandhi
Sonia and Maneka Gandhi take their fight to Nehru's official residence, Teen Murti Bhavan
This write-up in India today notes: "To ensure Lal Bahadur Shastri didn't move in, the Nehru Memorial Trust or Fund was hurriedly created and "Teen Murti was dedicated to the nation and the 'people of India'". In sum, it stayed with the Family, the Congress."
While the politics of this observation and family inheritance disputes among the Gandhi's is a separate issue, it is clear that Nehru royalties are dedicated and bequeathed to the nation and the 'people of India'.
Life and contribution of Jawaharlal Nehru is closely linked to the history of Swarajyam Bharat and the concerns raised should be of national interest.
kaalaadhan
An issue related to the restitution of illicit wealth in Swiss Bank Accounts has been brought to the notice of SIT on Black Money headed by Justice MB Shah.
http://www.admin.ch/ch/e/rs/1/196.1.en.pdf Swiss Federation has a
Federal Act on the Restitution of Assets illicitly obtained by Politically Exposed Persons Restitution of Illicit Assets Act (RIAA) of 1 October 2010 (Status as of 1 February 2011). This Act provides for restitutuion of assets illicitly obtained by Politically Exposed Persons.
In the context of NaMo government's resolve to restitute kaalaadhan, an ordinance nationalizing such illicit wealth has been suggested and action should be initiated with all tax havens including Switzerland under the enactments comparable to the Swiss Federation enactment of 1 October 2010 to get back kaalaadhan into the nation's financial system without any further delay.
S. Kalyanaraman