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Synopsis Vithal Mahadeo Tarkunde (1909-2004) Born in Saswad (Maharashtra) on July 3, 1909 V.M. Tarkunde migrated to Pune and joined the famous New English School, founded by Tilak and Agarkar. He had a brilliant group of students like S.M. Joshi, R.K. Khadilkar and D.P. Shikhare as his classmates and N.G. Gore as his schoolmate. All of them were inspired by the movement for independence led by Gandhiji during their school days. Tarkunde had a brilliant academic career. He never stood second in any of his school or college examinations. In 1929 he sailed for England, studied law in London and was called to the Bar as Barrister-at-Law. On returning to India in 1932 Tarkunde joined the Congress. Later he came in contact with the ideas of M.N. Roy and joined the League of Radical Congressmen. When World War II commenced Roy was of the view that for the freedom of Indians, and the colonial peoples of Asia and Africa, the Fascist forces should be defeated and for that purpose the Democratic Allied Forces led by Great Britain should be supported in the war. On the war issue, the Royists walked out of the Congress and formed the erstwhile Radical Democratic Party. With his brilliant and original thinking, Tarkunde was a great asset to Roy, like other Royists. In 1942 Tarkunde was elected General Secretary of the RDP and migrated to Delhi. By 1946 Roy formulated the philosophy of New Humanism. He found it logically conclusive that political parties were not adequate instruments for promoting freedom of the people. Therefore the RDP was dissolved in December 1948. Radical Humanists decided to function as friends, philosophers and guides of the people in their search for freedom and progress. As Editor of The Radical Humanist, Tarkunde wrote a good number of editorials and thought-provoking articles on current topics as well as on the philosophy of Radical Humanism bringing new ideas and thoughts. Tarkunde was recognized as one of the leading humanists of the world. He was duly honoured by the International Humanist and Ethical Union with the Humanist Award (1978) for his fearless struggle to protect human rights during the dark days of the Emergency.