Karan Singh chronicles his memorable encounters with remarkable women

It was a brief meeting with Hellen Keller that lasted a few minutes but it left a lifelong impression on Karan Singh. And it remains etched in his mind as an encounter with "an iconic fighter for the cause of the disabled."

His memorable meeting with Eleanor Roosevelt, whom he described as the first lady of the United Nations, took place when he was just 17 years of age.

From the depths of his remarkable memory, veteran politician and public figure, Karan Singh, has dug out these and many more fascinating nuggets relating to some of his most memorable encounters with women, and put them together in the form of his book ‘Meetings with Remarkable Women’.

Sure to be a collector’s item, the book, in its Hindi edition and a new English edition, was released by the author himself at New Delhi’s India International Centre.

The English version, first published in 2014, as a compilation of his impressions of the remarkable women he had met in his life, has been updated with seven new additions including President Droupadi Murmu.

Both English and Hindi versions are the first publications of the newly formed Karan Singh Foundation in collaboration with Motilal Banarsidass Publishing House.

Speaking at length about the book at the launch event, Karan Singh said: “In the course of my multifarious and varied public life, which began some eight decades ago, I have had occasions in India and abroad to meet with a large number of remarkable people...and they “have left an impression upon my mind.”

Those memories resided in the recesses of his mind until Jyotsana prompted, his daughter and chairperson of the Karan Singh Foundation, and he decided to pen them down, he revealed.

Many of the women who have made their way in his book were well-known around the world, however, some were not in the public eye.

But, according to the author: “They shared a certain intangible quality which has led me to include them in this book of reminiscences.”

The launch event was attended by a galaxy of dignitaries from different walks of life.

The event saw an exciting panel discussion between Karan Singh and Mala Thapar, daughter of journalist and political commentator Romesh Thapar; and Ameeta Mehra, daughter of late Major P. K. Mehra. The panelists also interacted with the audience on the occasion.