In those days we had established a National Institute of Historical Research of which Chavan agreed to be the chief patron. We arranged a meeting at his request in his room in the Home Ministry, the subject being his favourite one 'The Quit India Movement 1942' in which he had played such an important role and had set up an independent Government of Satara known as Patri Sarkar in complete defiance of British authorities. I was a little hesitant to hold the meeting in his office where there would be all sorts of restrictions on entry and passes, etc., would have to be required which might not be liked by the scholars. He appreciated my embarrassment and told me that whosoever comes after 5.30 p.m. would be admitted to his room and I should not feel worried on that account. A number of Indian and foreign scholars participated in the deliberations and at the end, some scholars enquired from him how he the 'rebel' felt to be in the Chair of the Home Minister. "Off the record I can tell you" he said that "whosoever sits in this chair cannot help following the age old policy of Divide and Rule". Such was his love for historical researches that he readily agreed to preside over the annual function of our Institute. In his speech he stressed the necessity of indepth study of the various phases of India's Struggle for Freedom which he thought was essential to acquaint younger generation with the heroic deeds of our patriots.
To quote from Volume of "Who's Who of Indian Martyrs'
His interest in historical researches never diminished even when he took over as Minister of Finance and later on as Minister of Foreign Affairs. He built up a rare collection of books which were kept neatly in his study and drawing rooms and often he quoted the views of historians like Jadunath Sarkar, R.C. Majumdar and other in support of his contention. He was particularly interested in the history of Maharashtra where as a Chief Minister he had set up a unit to bring out the source material of India's Struggle for Freedom. Several volumes of these works have already been brought out. So much was his love and respect for scholars that he made it a point to attend a dinner which I hosted in honour of the well-known historian A. L. Basham "The Wonder that was India". Mr. Justice J. M. Shelat, author of the two volumes on Akbar and then Chief Justice of India was also present. Later on, as Foreign Minister his duties gave him hardly any time to attend to historical researches as most of the time he had to spend abroad. But his speeches and writings in those days show historical bias which he had developed through the years. He was even asked to release the last volumes on the Maratha period brought out by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in their History and Culture of Indian People Volumes.
It might not be known to many that he was writing his autobiography and had completed a major portion of it before his end came and that work was left incomplete. Of course, another volume had been brought out earlier by one of his admirers. He was always ready to help needy scholars and it is an irony that a letter written by his to me recommending a fellowship for a scholar interested in the studies of Tilak reached me after his death.