6 Nov 1963
Dear Francis,
I have just received your letter of 29th October, 1963, in which you have written that you will not be able to attend the symposium on Nucleic Acids scheduled to be held here next January.  I cannot tell you how disappointed I am and how much your absence is going to be felt by the participants, particularly those from India.  I hate to insist (and be a pest!), but if the dates of your visit to Princeton do not overlap with those of the symposium, wouldn't you consider coming to India after your lectures at Princeton and then to go to La Jolla from here?  We shall be glad to take care of all the extra expenses involved in this trip, i.e., of the visit to India from Princeton and the return trip to La Jolla from India, by any routes you may choose.  You could leave the United States on the 14th January and return to California on the 24th January.  We would not insist on your staying here for the whole duration of the symposium and you could get back to California even earlier.  Even if such a trip is possible, I know it will be very inconvenient for you, but I am taking the liberty of making this suggestion since I am convinced that your inspiring presence at the symposium would be of invaluable help in achieving the objectives that we set before us while organizing the symposium.  This is just about the first international scientific meeting in the area of biochemistry or molecular biology being organized in the country.  As you may be aware, leave aside molecular biology and related fields, even biochemistry in this country is in its infancy.  One of the main objectives of this symposium is to help cultivate an appreciation of the recent advances in biochemistry, molecular biology and related fields amongst workers in India, and stimulate research in the very important field of nucleic acids.  Since your own contributions have laid the foundation of much of the progress in this area during the last so many years, and since you have a broad-based interest in science and its application, your presence in the symposium will be of tremendous benefit to the cause of biochemistry and molecular biology in this country, in fact to an extent which may be perhaps difficult for you to assess!
I, therefore, hope that you will understand the reason behind what might sound an unwarranted insistence on my behalf.  If you are by any chance able to come we would be most delighted to have you; our invitation is still open.  But if it is really impossible, I will understand your difficulty and would look forward to another occasion of a visit from you.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
(P.M. Bhargava)