Vinoba Bhave University

Vinoba Bhave was born in 1895 in Maharashtra. He received his early education from Sanskrit pathshala in scriptures and philosophy. His life took a turn when he met Mahatma Gandhi for the first time in 1916. He was inspired by Gandhian philosophy of Satyagraha and non-voilence. Under Gandhi ji, he took part in various freedom movements like Non-cooperation movement and Quit India movement. He also went to jail for protesting against the British laws. After independence, he worked for the welfare of people inspired by the ‘Sarvodaya’ philosophy of Gandhi ji. After independence, India was suffering from extreme poverty and social inequality particularly in rural areas due to land inequality. To address this issue, Vinoba Bhave started the Bhoodan movement in 1951 to encourage landlords to voluntarily donate land to the landless people to bring socio-economic equality. In 1952, the Gramdan movement was initiated by Vinoba Bhave to promote community ownership of land. He was successful in mobilising many acres of land to poor landless people. He was felicitated through many awards for his contribution to the society like Padma Vibhushan, Ramon Magsayasay award, Jamanlal Bajaj Award and Nehru Peace award. He contributed his life towards the welfare of people and promoting equal and just society. He passed away in 1982 at the age of 87. His legacy continues to inspire millions of people to work towards a more equal and just society. His work still motivates people to be compassionate to others.

Vinoba Bhave was born on 11 September, 1895 in Gagode village in Maharashtra, India. He was the eldest son of Narahari Shambhu Rao and Rukmini Devi. For his early education, he went to Sanskrit Pathshala where he studied Hindu scriptures and philosophy. In 1916 Mahatma Gandhi visited his native place when he had his 1st encounter with him. This meeting changed the course of his life. Inspired by Gandhi's philosophy of truth (Satyagraha) and nonviolence, Bhave became deeply involved in the Indian freedom struggle. Since then, he took part in various movements of the freedom struggle. He also contributed to the social reform movements in the later part of his life.

Vinoba Bhave was a freedom fighter, social reformer and spiritual leader. He contributed to the Indian freedom struggle by practicing Gandhian non-violence. Post Independence, he shifted focus to social reform, initiating the Bhoodan (land gift) and Gramdan (village gift) movements to address land inequality. He advocated for justice, equality, and spiritual upliftment.

• Association with Gandhi ji
  • He embraced the principles of truth (Satyagraha) and nonviolence (Ahimsa).
  • On 8th April 1921, Vinoba took charge of a Gandhi-ashram in Wardha under Gandhiji’s directions.
  • Being an advent follower of Gandhiji he dedicated his life towards the freedom struggle of India.
• Active participation in the Freedom movements:Vinoba Bhave participated in the freedom movements like Non-cooperation movement and Quit India movement
  • Non- cooperation movement :
    • He believed in the power of nonviolent resistance to mobilise the Indian masses and to challenge colonial rule.
    • He encouraged people to boycott British goods, institutions, and symbols of colonial authority as part of the non-cooperation campaign.
    • He protested against the British laws and regulations, to challenge the authority of the colonial administration.
    • In 1932, he was sent to jail in Dhulia for six months for protesting against colonial rule.
    • In jail, he taught Bhagvat Gita to fellow prisoners in Marathi.
  • Quit India Movement :
    • Vinoba Bhave endorsed Mahatma Gandhi’s call for Quit India movement during his iconic speech on August 8, 1942.
    • Vinoba Bhave played a crucial role in mobilizing the masses for the Quit India Movement.
    • He extensively travelled across the country to address public gatherings, organising protests and galvanising support for the movement.
    • Vinoba Bhave was jailed for his intensive participation in the Quit India movement and served a 5 year term.
• Promotion of Satyagraha: Vinoba Bhave played a crucial role in spreading the concept of Satyagraha to win the independence for India. He conducted padyatras (foot marches) and public gatherings to spread Gandhi's message of nonviolence and civil disobedience. He was also chosen as ‘The first Satyagrahi’ by Gandhiji himself. Vinoba Bhave embraced Satyagraha as a way of life and a means of confronting injustice and oppression and recognized the transformative power of Satyagraha in bringing about social and political changes.

After Independence, Vinoba bhave started working in the areas of social reforms, rural development and promotion of Gandhian principles. He worked towards a more just, equitable and compassionate society. His major social reform works were Bhoodan movement, Gramdan movement, upliftment of Harijans, advocacy of Sarvodaya etc.

1. Advocacy of Sarvodaya: Vinoba Bhave propagated the idea of Gandhi ji of Sarvodaya which means welfare of all. This philosophy was the main driving force for him post independence and he worked for bringing social justice, economic equality, and the empowerment of marginalized communities, particularly in rural areas
2. Bhoodan movement (Land gift movement):
   • Background: In the post independence time, India was suffering from extreme poverty, landlessness and socio-economic inequality. In rural areas where the people remain largely dependent on lands for their livelihood, the situation was worse due to land inequality.
   • The Movement: The Bhoodan movement was started by Vinoba Bhave in 1951 to address the issue of land inequality. In this movement, landowners were appealed to gift or donate land to the landless. Vinoba Bhave embarked on foot marches (Padayatras) across rural India, visiting villages and appealing to landowners to donate land for the benefit of the landless. The movement continued for 13 years.
   • Impact: The Bhoodan Movement had a significant impact on Indian society, leading to the voluntary donation of thousands of acres of land by landowners to landless across the country.Vinoba Bhave was able to collect 4.4 million acres of land. The movement helped to alleviate landlessness, empower rural communities, and promote social equality. The Bhoodan Movement laid the groundwork for subsequent land reform initiatives in India and inspired similar movements around the world.
3. Gramdan movement (Village gift movement)
   • Background:The Bhoodan movement started in 1951 to reduce land inequality by encouraging landowners to gift land to landless. But this was not enough to solve the issue of landlessness.
   • The movement: The Gramdan movement was started by Vinoba Bhave in 1952 to encourage collective ownership of land in the villages to solve the issue of landlessness in rural areas.
   • Impact: Like the Bhoodan Movement, the success of the Gramdan Movement relied on voluntary participation. It promoted social cohesion and harmony in the rural areas.

• Vinoba Bhave was deeply rooted in spiritual traditions and was inspired by teachings of all the religions. Bhave advocated for interfaith harmony and dialogue, believing that different religious traditions could coexist and contribute to the spiritual upliftment of humanity.
• He set up several ashrams to promote simple living.
• In 1959, Vinoba Bhave established Brahma Vidya Mandir for promoting self-sufficiency among women.
• He also taught Gita to fellow prisoners when he was in jail during the freedom struggle.
• He utilised the ‘fast’ to protest against the cow slaughter in 1979.

• Talks on the Gita: Vinoba Bhave's "Talks on the Gita" is a series of discourses in which he provides insightful interpretations and commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita.
• Sarvodaya Darshan: It is a philosophical treatise by Vinoba Bhave to promote the principles of Sarvodaya (welfare of all) and Gandhian socialism.
• He translated many books like Bhagvad Gita in Marathi. He also wrote commentary on Isavasyopanishad Bhashya.
• Other important works of Vinoba Bhave include Geeta Pravachane, Teesri Shakti, Swarajya Sastra,The Third Power etc.

• Vinoba Bhave was often criticised for being a blind follower of Gandhi ji.
• He was also criticised for supporting the Emergency implemented by Indira Gandhi government. He called it Anushasana Parva (Time for Discipline).

• Padma Vibushan: Vinoba Bhave was awarded Padma Vibushan, the second highest recognition in India in 1958.
• Ramon Magsaysay Award: It is an international peace award, often considered the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize given to Vinoba Bhave in 1958 for his community leadership.
• Jamnalal Bajaj Award: In 1959, Bhave received the Jamnalal Bajaj Award for the Constructive Work done by him.
• Nehru Peace Prize: It was awarded to him posthumously in 2000 in recognition of his lifelong commitment to nonviolence, social justice, and peace.

Death: Vinoba Bhave passed away on 15 November, 1982 at the age of 87 in the town of Wardha, Maharashtra, India.

• Vinoba Bhave University (VBU) in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand. It was established in 1992.
• Vinoba Bhave School of Management Studies in various locations.
• Vinoba Bhave Civil Hospital (VBCH) in Silvassa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli
• Vinoba Bhave Ashram in various locations.

Vinoba Bhave was a freedom fighter, social reformer and a prominent exponent of Gandhian philosophy. As a disciple of Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave played a pivotal role in India's freedom struggle, participating in various movements. After independence, he worked towards a socially just society by initiating many movements like Bhoodan and Gramdan to bring socio-economic equality in the rural India. Vinoba Bhave's enduring legacy reminds us of the transformative potential of individual action and the profound impact that one person can have on the course of history. His life continues to inspire us to strive for a more just, compassionate, and peaceful world, guided by the timeless principles of love, nonviolence, and social justice.