News: On September 11, 2025, India commemorates Acharya Vinoba Bhave’s 130th birth anniversary, celebrating his legacy in the independence movement, and Bhoodan Movement.
About Acharya Vinoba Bhave
- He (1895–1982) was born in Maharashtra, Vinoba Bhave was a philosopher and social reformer inspired by Gandhi’s non-violence and Satyagraha.
- Freedom Struggle Contributions:
- In 1925, Gandhi entrusted him with the task of overseeing the entry of Harijans into the temple at Vaikom, Kerala.
- Bhave was Gandhi’s first Individual Satyagrahi in 1940, symbolizing non-violent resistance.
- He joined the Quit India Movement and faced multiple arrests, spending five years in prison for protests.
- Bhave’s involvement with Gandhi’s constructive initiatives grew, focusing on Khadi, village industries, education (Nai Talim), sanitation, and hygiene.
- His Sarvodaya philosophy emphasized communal welfare. Bhave founded Brahma Vidya Mandir in 1959 to empower women and promote non-violence.
- His works, like Ishavasyavritti, reflect his spiritual approach to social reform.
- Bhoodan and Social Reforms
- He led the Bhoodan Movement from 1951, promoting land donations for the landless.
- Initiated in Pochampally (1951), Bhoodan redistributed land from over 1,000 villages to the landless via Gramdan (1954).
- His Sarvodaya movement addressed rural challenges, promoting self-sufficiency.
- In 1959, Bhave established the Brahma Vidya Mandir in Paunar, Maharashtra. Brahma Vidya Mandir empowered women through non-violent principles.
- Bhave’s legacy, marked by his 1982 Samadhi Maran, continues to inspire social justice, sustainable living, and non-violence globally.
