Shri Narendra Paragji Nathwani political profile

NATHWANI, SHRI  NARENDRA P., B.A, (Hons.), L.L.B., Janata, (Gujarat—Junagadh—1977) :  s. of  Shri  Pragji; b. at Kampala ( Uganda ),  January 3, 1913; ed at Alfred High School, Rajkot, Bahauddin  College, Junagadh; Fergusson College, Poona and Wilson  College, Bombay, and Government Law College, Bombay, Recipient of Sir Mangaldas Nathubhai Triennial Scholarship and Judge Spencer Prize, 1936 (Bombay University);  m. Smt. Bhanumati, March 7, 1935; 1 s. and 1 d.; Senior Advocate, Supreme Court, Judge, Bombay High Court, 1967—75; previously associated with Congress, 1928—62 suffered imprisonment for one year for participating in Civil Disobedience Movement,  1932-33, joined Rajkot Satyagrah, 1939, participated in ‘Quit India’ Movement, 1942, participated in Bihar Movement, 1975, and worked for preservation and promotion of civil liberties and of rate of law; Minister of Law, Provisional Government, Junagadh State, 1947; Trustee, Saurashtra, Trust, Bombay,  1964-67, Trustee of Suruchi Trust, Bardoli, Gujarat; appointed as one-member Commission to inquire into closure of Banaras Hindu University and submitted the report to Jaya Prakash Narayan in 1975; Member, National Executive Committee of Citizens for Democracy and Vice-President of People’s Action for Civil Liberties, Bombay Unit; presided over Gujarat Lawyers’ Conference  for Civil Liberties, Ahmedabad, 1976; Member, (i)  Provisional Parliament, 1950—52, (ii)  First Lok Sabha, 1952—57, (iii) Second Lok Sabha 1957—62, (iv) Estimates Committee, Lok Sabha for two years, (v) Joint Select Committee inter alia on (a) Hindu Marriage and Divorce Bill, 1952, (b) Hindu Minority and Guardianship Bill, 1953, (c) Hindu Succession Bill, 1954, (d) Citizenship Bill, 1955, (e) Companies Bill, 1955 and 1958; (f) Income Tax Bill, 1961 and (g) Lok Pal Bill, 1977; Member, (i) Committee for Amalgamation of small collieries in East Bengal and Bihar 1955, (ii) Ship Repairs Committee, 1957, (iii) Committee for Re-organisation of Central Excise Duties, 1961-62, (iv) Drugs and Equipment Standards Committee, 1962 and (v) Committee for legalisation of Abortion in India, 1965; presently Member, (i) Privileges Committee and (ii) Consultative Committee, Ministry of Finance; visited East Africa as a representative of Indian Council for Africa, 1961.

Social activities:  Donated Rs. 17,000 to Saurashtra University to institute Pragji R. Nathwani Legal Scholarship for higher studies in law, was associated with, the foundation of the B.S.T.B. Hospital, Keshod.

Favourite pastime and recreation: Travel and reading.

Special interests:  History.

Travels abroad:  U.K. & Europe, 1966 & 1975, World tour—Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Honolulu Islands, U.S.A., Canada, U.K., Europe and U,S.S.R.  1971.

Permanent address:  21, Baktawer Annexie, N. Dabholkar Road, Bombay-6.