"It was a wonderful experience interacting with you and appreciate the way you have planned and executed the whole publication process within the agreed timelines.”
Subrat SaurabhAuthor of Kuch Woh PalExtracts from Opinions of Author's Earlier Book.
"I am happy to find in your book such well documented and argued support for a proposal which I have advocated for many years."
Shri J. R. D. Tata
Eminent Industrialist
"My own personal opinion that a success of any system, be it parliamentary or presidential, ultimately depends on the people who will operate it, has changed after having read your book...Your book is bound to contribute a great deal in moulding the public opinion in this regard."
Shri Babubhai Patel
Ex-Chief Minister of Gujarat
"I really enjoyed the discussion we had on your views… and analysis of the Presidential System. Frankly, after listening to your meticulous analysis of the comparative merits, I must say I am veering around to your view... I am convinced that your objective is a pure one and is not aimed at pursuit of any political gains but to the promotion of a nationalist ideology. I am pleasantly amazed that our country still has persons like you. You have no personal ambitions in the matter. It is indeed gratifying that a highly qualified Engineer and Technologist like you should be taking such great interest in promoting a larger national cause. You have taken up this agenda of political reforms with no other expectation than good of the country at large."
Shri M. N. Venkatachaliah
Former Chief Justice of India and Chairman,
Constitutional Reforms Committee, Govt. of India, 2002
"Your lifetime of work for the cause of bringing the presidential system to India is an important contribution to the future of our country. You have given this mission your best for a very long time. I am touched and encouraged… Please don't give up hope… You are (a) source of inspiration..."
Shri Bhanu Dhamija
Author of Why India Needs The Presidential System
Jashwant B. Mehta
The author is an Architect and Consulting Engineer by profession, holding post-graduate degree in Civil Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA. He has also been active in the real estate, construction and hospitality industries.
Like many other perceptive individuals in India, being disenchanted with the existing political system because of its unsatisfactory and dismal performance owing to its inherent shortcomings, he undertook an in-depth study of the underlying causes and also an intensive study and the workings of Governments and Constitutions of the liberal democracies of the world, such as USA, UK, Germany and France among others. This led to his firm conclusion that a truly democratic presidential system with suitable modifications will be immensely beneficial for the country and has written extensively on the subject. His books viz. Presidential System – A Better Alternative? and Quest for a Better Democratic Alternative, have been widely acclaimed as making a substantive contribution to the debate on the issue. He is Founder/Convenor of Forum for Presidential Democracy.
In his own field of Civil Engineering, and Town Planning, he has published several papers and articles. His book High-Rise Buildings was the first book on the subject in India. He has presented papers and chaired sessions in World Congress on Tall Buildings held at Paris (1979), Chicago (1985), and Amsterdam (1993) and also in International Conference in Mumbai (2011). He is a recipient of the Gold Medal awarded by the Institution of Valuers. He represented India in the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat during 1988-2002. He was a member of the Executive Committee of Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (MCHI) during 1986-2006; he was also on the Managing Committee of Practising Engineers Architects and Town Planners Association (India) (PEATA) during 1983-1992
Apart from his abiding passion for the evolution of a better democratic system, he is also involved in social and charitable activities, especially the prevention and cure of blindness. He is Founder Member and Ex-President of Eye Bank Association of India and the Managing Trustee of Eye Bank Coordination and Research Centre, Mumbai. He has been honoured by International Federation of Eye Banks and Eye Bank Association of India for his pioneering role in promoting eye donation and eye banking in India. He is also recipient of Dr. M. C. Nahata Rashtriya Netra Suraksha Puraskar award by The National Society for the Prevention of Blindness.
