Devi Prasad Papers
Period (1901-)
1960-2003 (2011)
Total size 2.75 m.
Consultation Not restricted
Biography
Born in Dehra Dun, India
1921, died in Delhi, India 2011; studied at Rabindranath Tagore’s university at
Shantiniketan; worked with Mahatma Gandhi from 1944 to 1947; worked for Nayee
Talim (Gandhi’s radical education programme) as a teacher and artist in
Sevagram Ashram, established by Gandhi, until 1962; participated in the
non-violence social reform movements in India from Independence onwards;
General Secretary of the War Resisters’ International 1962-1972 and its
President 1973-1975; during his time at the WRI significant changes took place:
while still concentrating on the work for conscientious objection it widened
its scope of work to nonviolence training and nonviolent action against
armaments and war; lives in Delhi since 1983, teaching, making pottery and
writing; author of War is a crime against humanity. The Story of War
Resisters’ International (2005);
see also the obituaries of
Prasad on the WRI-Website,
and in The Guardian .
Content
Correspondence and documents
concerning his activities in various peace organizations including the War
Resisters’ International (WRI) 1961-1996, the War Resisters’ International
India 1985-1990, the World Peace Brigade for Non-Violent Action 1961-1964, the
Committee for International Nonviolence 1973-1980 and the Peace Brigades
International 1982-1993, and in peace campaigns including the Everyman III
project 1962, Delphi-Peking Friendship March 1963, Operation Omega 1971-1973;
typescripts and copies of articles on peace education, conscientious objection
and non-violence 1954-1996; minutes of, reports and other documents concerning
the meetings of the General Council, Executive Committee and Triennial
conferences of the WRI, especially the 18th Triennial conference in 1986 in
Vedchhi, India 1971-1997.
Processing information
Inventory
made by Erhan Tuskan in 2008, accrual 2011 by Bouwe Hijma
Secondary creator
War Resisters' International
INVENTORY
General
-
1-2
-
Correspondence mainly
concerning his activities with persons and organisations on peace and
nonviolence.
1961-1994. 2 boxes.
-
1
-
A-K.
-
2
-
L-Z.
-
3
-
Personal
correspondence and papers.
1961-1983. 1 folder.
War Resisters’ International (WRI)
-
4-5
-
Correspondence as General
Secretary and President of the War Resisters’ International (WRI) mainly with
executive committee, council and staff members, including Howard Clark, Harold
Bing and Björn Lindgren.
1961-1992. 2 folders.
-
4
-
A-C.
-
5
-
D-Z.
NB. Includes also correspondence concerning his
appointment as general secretary and his retiring speech as president.
-
6-7
-
Other correspondence
concerning the WRI.
1964-1998. 2 folders.
-
8-10
-
Documents concerning the
council meetings.
1960-1993. 2 folders.
-
8-9
-
Minutes.
-
10
-
Agenda,
secretary reports, lists of council members and other documents.
-
11
-
Minutes of
the Executive committee meetings.
1961-1994.
1 box.
-
12
-
Documents
concerning the visits of Devi Prasad to various
countries.
1961-1982. 1 folder.
-
13-14
-
Correspondence, news
letters and other documents of the WRI Indian section.
1961-1962,
1982-1991. 2 folders.
-
13
-
1961-1962.
-
14
-
1982-1991.
-
15
-
Reports on
conferences, meetings and staff matters.
1962-1992.
1 folder.
-
16-17
-
Documents concerning
conscientious objection.
1963-1994. 2 folders.
-
18
-
Documents
concerning the Triennial conferences of the WRI.
1963-1991.
1 box.
-
19-26
-
Documents concerning the
18th Triennial conference in 1986 in Vedchhi, India.
1984-1986.
8 folders.
-
19-20
-
Correspondence.
-
21
-
Preparatory work.
-
22
-
Sponsoring.
-
23-24
-
Participation and
registration requests.
-
25-26
-
Papers presented and
background papers.
-
27
-
Correspondence, reports and other documents concerning the Lansbury House Trust
Fund (LHTF).
1973-1983. 1 folder.
Other peace organizations and
initiatives
-
28
-
Correspondence with the Committee for International Nonviolence.
1973-1982. 1 folder.
-
29
-
Correspondence with and documents concerning the Institute for Training in
Nonviolence.
1965-1967. 1 folder.
-
30-31
-
Documents of the
International Confederation for Disarmament and Peace.
1962-1975.
2 folders.
-
32
-
Documents
of the International Independence Institute.
1966-1969.
1 folder.
-
33-35
-
Documents of
Operation Omega mainly concerning the relief mission into Bangla
Desh.
1971-1973. 3 folders.
-
36
-
Documents
concerning the Pacem in Terris II convocation in 1967 in Geneva.
1967. 1 folder.
-
37-40
-
Documents concerning the
Peace Brigades International (PBI).
1989-1992.
4 folders.
-
37
-
General
Assembly. 1992.
-
38
-
Council
meeting. 1989.
-
39
-
Directorate meetings. 1990-1991.
-
40
-
Sri Lanka
project. 1989-1991.
-
41-42
-
Documents concerning the
ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.
1983-1990. 2 folders.
-
41
-
Reconciliation mission to Sri Lanka in 1986 on behalf of WRI, PBI,
International Fellowship of Reconciliation and Asian Cultural Forum on
Development. 1983-1987.
-
42
-
World
Solidarity Forum on Sri Lanka for Justice and Peace, Thailand, 1990.
1986-1990.
-
43-44
-
Documents concerning the
Conference on Nonmilitary Forms of Struggle in Uppsala in 1972.
1972. 2 folders.
-
45-52
-
Documents concerning the
World Peace Brigade for Non-Violent Action.
1961-1965.
7 folders and 1 box.
-
45
-
Correspondence concerning the conference to establish a world peace brigade.
1961. (box)
-
46-48
-
Minutes of meetings,
reports and discussion papers. 1960-1964.
-
49
-
Documents
of the Indian delegation. 1961-1962.
-
50
-
Documents
concerning Everyman III, a protest voyage from London to Leningrad against
nuclear tests. 1962.
-
51-52
-
Documents concerning the
Delhi-Peking Friendship March. 1963-1964.
Writings
-
53-58
-
Typescripts and copies of
articles and reports by Devi Prasad.
1961-2001.
6 folders.
-
53
-
Nonviolence.
-
54
-
WRI.
-
55
-
Specific
conflict situations.
-
56
-
Gandhi
and education.
-
57
-
Gandhi's
perspective.
-
58
-
Childhood, art and education.
-
59-60
-
Documents concerning the
book War is a crime against humanity. The Story of War Resisters’
International .
1994-1996. 2 folders.
-
59
-
Questionnaire about historical facts of the WRI. 1994.
-
60
-
Correspondence concerning the grants for the book. 1995-1996.
Documentation
-
61-64
-
Documentation collected
for the book War is a crime against humanity. The Story of War
Resisters’ International .
1901-1999.
4 boxes.
-
61-62
-
Documents on the WRI.
1929-1999.
-
63
-
Documents
on peace, nonviolence, nuclear weapons and armed conflicts.
1901-1988.
-
64
-
Excerpts
from and copies of articles on peace and nonviolence. 1962-1992.
Accrual 2011
-
65-66
-
Minutes, correspondence
and other documents from and on the WRI.
1940, 1943-1944, 1946,
1961-1962, 1964, 1966, 1971-1974, 1976, 1984-1988, 1991, 1996, 2000-2001, 2003
and n.d. 2 folders.
-
67
-
Correspondence and other documents on conscientious objection.
1951,
1967, 1986-1988, 1990 and n.d. 1 folder.
-
68-69
-
Correspondence and other
documents during and on the European tour of Devi Prasad in 1961.
1961-1962. 2 folders.
-
70
-
Documents
on the Peace Brigades International.
1982-1992.
1 cover.
-
71
-
Documents
on the research and writing project 'War is a crime against humanity. Story of
War Resister's International', initiated by Devi Prasad.
1995-1996.
1 folder.
-
72
-
Sketch of
his life in India and his work for the WRI by Devi Prasad.
N.d.
1 cover.
-
75
-
Obituaries
for Devi Prasad, died on 1 June 2011.
2011. 1 cover.
