The Book:
His selected newspaper columns will make it plain that open mindedness coupled with a deep understanding of Pakistani history was all Minoo needed to soar above many of his compatriots in the realm of ideas and principles.
The Author:
Minocher Peshaton Bhandara, popularly known as Minoo, was born in 1938 to Peshotan and Tehmina Bhandara, a prominent Parsi family of Lahore. (His sister is the internationally published author Bapsi Sidhwa.) Minoo graduated in Commerce from Punjab University and studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Brasenose College Oxford, but had to return in his final year because of the death of his father in 1961. Later, in 1978-79, he attended the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School.
Minoo is well known on several accounts; as the dynamic Managing Director of Murree Brewery; for his efforts at promoting arts — apart from sponsoring several artists he opened Croweaters Art Gallery in Lahore; for his eminently successful political career he was Member of Parliament, 1981 to 1985 and served as Adviser to the President on Minorities Affairs. He was elected to the Parliament in 1985 and to the National Assembly of Pakistan (2002-2007). He participated in the sessions of the UN General Assembly in 1982, 2006 and 2007.
Furthermore, Minoo became known as one of the leading newspaper columnists of Pakistan and a correspondent of international repute. Being a Parsi his articles reflect refreshing non-partisan views unhampered by formula thinking. He was a staunch patriot and believed in the vision of a democratic Pakistan, in which the minorities played an equal role. as envisaged by the Quaid. At the sane time he was a clear-eyed realist and never hesitated to call a 'spade a spade'. Besides being unbiased chronicles of our times, his articles are valuable for their prophetic vision. Tragically in 2008, on a visit to China, Minoo met with a serious accident and passed away at the age of seventy, before 'his pen had gleaned his teeming brain'. However, he has left us an invaluable legacy of his writings of which this book is a selection.
