John Matthai: The Values of Service

John Matthai had many unique distinctions. He was India's only post-independence finance minister who had also held that responsibility in the interim government, formed before the country gained freedom.

- A. K. Bhattacharya

As finance member in Viceroy Wavell's Executive Council, Matthai took some important decisions such as abolishing the notorious salt tax, levying an export duty on cotton and removing price controls on jute and jute goods.

But in less than two months, he had to make way for Liaquat Ali Khan of the Muslim League, which belatedly decided to join the interim government. Matthai, an academic, lawyer and a senior executive in Tata Sons before becoming a minister, was instead asked to take charge of the industry and supplies department. After independence, Matthai was made railway minister, an onerous responsibility in those post-Partition days when millions of refugees had to be transported across the divided country.

Matthai's other unique distinction was his unconventional approach to budget presentation. He is India's only railway minister to deliver a budget speech without a prepared text. Again, in 1950, he chose to deliver his Union Budget speech extempore, much to the consternation of his officers in the finance ministry.

The media was even more worried. No copies of the speech could be distributed after the budget's presentation. The budget speech was thus covered by only those journalists who were present in Parliament and took notes.