For twenty years (1936-1956) there was no book on Social Welfare / Social Work in India. Early publications ‘Social Welfare and Anthology’,
bulky volume sponsored by Planning Commission, Published by Publication Division,
Govt. of India, New Delhi, 1956. No conceptual
clarity about social welfare. An abridged edition was published in 1959.
Another Anthology edited by A.R. Wadia, planned, sponsored by
TISS faculty was published by Allied Publishers, Bombay, 1959. Title: History
and Philosophy of Social Work in India. Faculty members of TISS and Alumni
including me were the contributors in second edition in 1962.
‘Medical Social Work’ in India by S. H. Pathak DSSW Delhi,
1961, ‘Social Legislation in India’ – by V. V. Shashtri, Planning Commission
sponsored – published by Publication Division, Government of India. And ‘A Century
of Social Reform in India’ by S. Natarajan, Asia Publishing House, 1962 are the
three single author books on a single theme or topic, to be published during
the early 1960’s . Note that for twenty years there was no book on social work
or social welfare in India.
There was the Indian Journal of Social work quarterly published
by TISS since 1940. What did the students learn about social work in India? What
were the sources? Lectures by teaches in from social work educational
institutions in Bombay Delhi, Baroda and Madras? From where did the teachers
get what they taught about India? Did they teach anything about social work in
India? Questions to ponder.
Social work literature including Social Work research has
been written about, reviewed by Prabha Gore (Later changed name Anita Herlekar),
M.S. Gore and P. Ramachandran, S.N. Ranade and recently by Sanjai Bhatt etc in the Encyclopedia of Social Work
1966, 2012 and the ICSSR volumes on research. As there was not sufficient
research literature on Social Work in India- A survey by S.N. Ranade was
included as a paper in the volume on sociology!!
Murali Desai when she was Associate Editor of I.J.S.W.
devoted two issues to social work literature. Special mention must be made of
her untiring efforts in conceiving and executing the project ‘Review of 50
years of social work Literature'. Published in the July 1997 issue of I.J.S.W.
Her contribution as an entrepreneur of social work literature is unparalleled.
Note: I have relied on memory in writing the above paragraphs on Social Work
literature. There may be some inaccuracies, missing details to referred publications.
These are important historical facts. Please keep writing Sir !
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