Social development : eassys in honour of Smt Durgabai Deshmukh

This book of essays was conceived by the members of the staff of the Council as an Abhinandan Granth to be presented to Smt Durgabai Deshmukh on the occasion of the Internation al Women's Year. We felt that a series of essays on a wide range of social problems to the solution of which Smt Durgabai has dedicated her life may be a fitting tribute to her. We, there fore, requested many friends who not only have known Smt Deshmukh but are themselves authorities in their respective fields of academic or practical social work, to contribute essays on selected themes. We are happy that nearly everyone whom we approached has gladly responded to our invitation The preparation of the text, however, has been prolonged beyond the International Women's Year by the inevitable delays in cidental to such a venture.

The essays are divided into three sections. The first two dealing with the life and achievements of Smt Durgabai are by those who have known her well and have followed with interest and admiration the programmes of social development initiated by her.

The second group of essays deals with the current global problem of the changing status of women in the perspective of the development of women as a whole as a precious resource of available woman-power for development. These essays have been contributed by persons who have special knowledge of the particular aspects of women's problems, on which they have written.

The third section contains seven essays on other areas of social development by those who have been professional workers in the field of social development.