ISHWAR CHANDRA VIDYASAGAR WAS BORN TO THAKURDAS BANDYOPADHYAY AND BHAGAVATI DEVI AT BIRSINGHA VILLAGE, IN THE GHATAL SUBDIVISION OF PASCHIM MIDNAPORE DISTRICT, ON 26 SEPTEMBER 1820. AT THE AGE OF 6 HE WENT TO CALCUTTA. IN CALCUTTA (PRESENT DAY KOLKATA), ISHWAR STARTED LIVING IN BHAGABAT CHARAN'S HOUSE IN BURRABAZAR, WHERE THAKURDAS HAD ALREADY BEEN STAYING FOR SOME YEARS. ISHWAR FELT AT EASE AMIDST BHAGABAT'S LARGE FAMILY AND SETTLED DOWN COMFORTABLY IN NO TIME. BHAGABAT'S YOUNGEST DAUGHTER RAIMONI'S MOTHERLY AND AFFECTIONATE FEELINGS TOWARDS ISHWAR TOUCHED HIM DEEPLY AND HAD A STRONG INFLUENCE ON HIS LATER REVOLUTIONARY WORK TOWARDS THE UPLIFTMENT OF WOMEN'S STATUS IN INDIA.HIS QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE WAS SO INTENSE THAT HE USED TO STUDY UNDER A STREET LIGHT AS IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO AFFORD A GAS LAMP AT HOME. HE CLEARED ALL THE EXAMINATIONS WITH EXCELLENCE AND IN QUICK SUCCESSION. HE WAS REWARDED WITH A NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS FOR HIS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. TO SUPPORT HIMSELF AND THE FAMILY, ISHWAR CHANDRA ALSO TOOK A PART-TIME JOB OF TEACHING AT JORASHANKO. ISHWAR CHANDRA JOINED THE SANSKRIT COLLEGE, CALCUTTA AND STUDIED THERE FOR TWELVE LONG YEARS AND PASSED OUT OF THE COLLEGE IN 1841 QUALIFYING IN SANSKRIT GRAMMAR, LITERATURE, RHETORIC [ALANKARA SHASTRA], VEDANTA, SMRUTI AND ASTRONOMY

BORN: MAY 22, 1772DIED: SEPTEMBER 27, 1833

ACHIEVEMENTS: FOUNDED ATMIYA SABHA AND BRAHMA SAMAJ. PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN ABOLITION AND SATI. FOUGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN.

RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY IS KNOWN AS THE 'MAKER OF MODERN INDIA'. HE WAS THE FOUNDER OF THE BRAHMO SAMAJ, ONE OF THE FIRST INDIAN SOCIO-RELIGIOUS REFORM MOVEMENTS. HE PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN

ABOLISHING THE ROLE OF SATI. RAJA RAMMOHAN ROY WAS A GREAT SCHOLAR AND AN INDEPENDENT THINKER. HE ADVOCATED THE STUDY OF ENGLISH, SCIENCE, WESTERN MEDICINE AND TECHNOLOGY. HE WAS GIVEN THE

TITLE 'RAJA' BY THE MUGHAL EMPEROR.

RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY WAS BORN ON MAY 22, 1772 IN VILLAGE RADHANAGAR IN THE DISTRICT OF HOOGHLY IN BENGAL. HIS FATHER RAMKANTO ROY, WAS A VAISHNAVITE, WHILE HIS MOTHER, TARINI, WAS FROM A

SHAKTA BACKGROUND. RAJA RAM MOHUN ROY WAS SENT TO PATNA FOR HIGHER STUDIES. BY THE AGE OF FIFTEEN, RAJA RAMMOHUN ROY HAD LEARNT BANGLA, PERSIAN, ARABIC AND SANSKRIT.

RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY WAS AGAINST IDOL WORSHIP AND ORTHODOX HINDU RITUALS. HE STOOD FIRMLY AGAINST ALL SORT OF SOCIAL BIGOTRY, CONSERVATISM AND SUPERSTITIONS. BUT HIS FATHER WAS AN

ORTHODOX HINDU BRAHMIN. THIS LED TO DIFFERENCES BETWEEN RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY AND HIS FATHER. FOLLOWING DIFFERENCES HE LEFT THE HOUSE . HE WANDERED AROUND HIMALAYAS AND WENT TO TIBET. HE

TRAVELED WIDELY BEFORE RETURNING HOME.

AFTER HIS RETURN RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY'S FAMILY MARRIED HIM IN THE HOPE THAT HE WOULD CHANGE. BUT THIS DID NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT ON HIM. RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY WENT TO VARANASI AND STUDIED THE VEDAS, THE

UPANISHADS AND HINDU PHILOSOPHY DEEPLY. WHEN HIS FATHER DIED IN 1803 HE RETURNED TO MURSHIDABAD. HE THEN WORKED AS A MONEYLENDER IN CALCUTTA, AND FROM 1809 TO 1814, HE SERVED IN THE REVENUE

DEPARTMENT OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY.

IN 1814, RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY FORMED ATMIYA SABHA. ATMIYA SABHA TRIED TO INITIATE SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS REFORMS IN THE SOCIETY. RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY CAMPAIGNED FOR RIGHTS FOR WOMEN, INCLUDING THE RIGHT FOR WIDOWS TO REMARRY, AND THE RIGHT FOR WOMEN TO HOLD PROPERTY. HE ACTIVELY OPPOSED SATI SYSTEM

AND THE PRACTICE OF POLYGAMY.

HE ALSO SUPPORTED EDUCATION, PARTICULARLY EDUCATION OF WOMEN. HE BELIEVED THAT ENGLISH-LANGUAGE EDUCATION WAS SUPERIOR TO THE TRADITIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM, AND HE OPPOSED THE USE OF

GOVERNMENT FUNDS TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS TEACHING SANSKRIT. IN 1822, HE FOUNDED A SCHOOL BASED ON ENGLISH EDUCATION.

IN 1828, RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY FOUNDED THE 'BRAHMA SAMAJ'. THROUGH 'BRAHMA SAMAJ, HE WANTED TO EXPOSE THE RELIGIOUS HYPOCRISIES AND CHECK THE GROWING INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY ON THE HINDU SOCIETY.

RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY'S EFFORTS BORE FRUIT WHEN IN 1829, THE SATI SYSTEM WAS ABOLISHED. IN NOVEMBER 1830 RAM MOHAN ROY TRAVELED TO THE UNITED KINGDOM AS AN AMBASSADOR OF THE MUGHAL EMPEROR TO

PLEAD FOR HIS PENSION AND ALLOWANCES. RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY PASSED AWAY ON SEPTEMBER 27, 1833 AT STAPLETON NEAR BRISTOL DUE TO MENINGITIS.

ROY DEMANDED PROPERTY INHERITANCE RIGHTS FOR WOMEN AND, IN 1828, SET UP THE BRAHMO SABHA, WHICH WAS A MOVEMENT OF REFORMIST BENGALI'S FORMED TO FIGHT AGAINST SOCIAL EVILS.ROY'S POLITICAL BACKGROUND INFLUENCED HIS SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS APPROACH TO REFORMS OF HINDUISM. HE WROTE: "THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF HINDUS [SIC] IS NOT WELL CALCULATED TO PROMOTE THEIR POLITICAL INTERESTS…. IT IS NECESSARY THAT SOME CHANGE SHOULD TAKE PLACE IN THEIR RELIGION, AT LEAST FOR THE SAKE OF THEIR POLITICAL ADVANTAGE AND SOCIAL COMFORT

RAMMOHAN ROY'S EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TAUGHT HIM THAT HINDU TRADITIONS WERE OFTEN NOT RESPECTED OR CONSIDERED TO BE CREDIBLE BY

WESTERN STANDARDS; THIS AFFECTED HIS RELIGIOUS REFORMS. HE WANTED TO LEGITIMIZE HINDU TRADITIONS TO HIS EUROPEAN ACQUAINTANCES BY PROVING THAT THE "SUPERSTITIOUS PRACTICES WHICH DEFORM THE HINDU [SIC] RELIGION HAVE NOTHING TO DO

WITH THE PURE SPIRIT OF ITS DICTATES!

ROY PUBLISHED MAGAZINES IN ENGLISH, HINDI, PERSIAN, AND BENGALI. HE PUBLISHED THE BRAHMONICAL MAGAZINE IN ENGLISH IN 1821. ANOTHER NOTABLE MAGAZINE OF HIS WAS THE SAMBAD KAUMUDI, ALSO PUBLISHED IN 1821. IN 1822, RAM MOHAN PUBLISHED MIRAT-UL-AKBAR IN THE PERSIAN LANGUAGE.BRAHMONICAL MAGAZINE CEASED TO EXIST AFTER PUBLICATION OF A FEW ISSUES. BUT SAMBAD KAUMUDI, A NEWS WEEKLY, COVERED TOPICS SUCH AS FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, THE INDUCTION OF INDIANS INTO HIGH RANKS OF SERVICE AND SEPARATION OF THE EXECUTIVE AND JUDICIARY. SAMBAD KAUMUDI BECAME BI-WEEKLY IN JANUARY 1830 AND CONTINUED TO BE PUBLISHED FOR 33 YEARS.HE PUBLISHED A NEWSPAPER TO REGISTER HIS PROTEST AGAINST THE INTRODUCTION OF PRESS ORDINANCE OF 1823. THE ORDINANCE STATED THAT A LICENSE FROM THE GOVERNOR GENERAL IN COUNCIL WOULD BE REQUIRED TO PUBLISH ANY NEWSPAPER. WHEN THE ENGLISH COMPANY CENSORED THE PRESS, RAMMOHAN COMPOSED TWO MEMORIALS AGAINST THIS IN 1829 AND 1830 RESPECTIVELY. AS AN ACTIVIST, HE STEADILY OPPOSED SOCIAL ISSUES LIKE SATI AND CHILD MARRIAGE……

ONE OF THE

VINOBA BHAVE ABOUT THIS SOUND PRONUNCIATION (HELP·INFO) (MARATHI: विनोबा भािे), VINAYAK NARAHARI BHAVE (SEPTEMBER 11, 1895 - NOVEMBER 15, 1982) OFTEN CALLED ACHARYA (SANSKRIT FOR TEACHER), WAS AN INDIAN ADVOCATE OF NONVIOLENCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS. HE IS BEST KNOWN FOR THE BHOODAN MOVEMENT. HE IS CONSIDERED AS A NATIONAL TEACHER OF INDIA AND THE SPIRITUAL SUCCESSOR OF MOHANDAS GANDHI..

CAREER

HE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH MAHATMA GANDHI IN THE INDIAN INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT. HE STAYED FOR SOME TIME AT GANDHI'S SABARMATI ASHRAM IN A COTTAGE THAT WAS NAMED AFTER HIM, 'VINOBA KUTIR'. IN 1932 HE WAS SENT TO JAIL BY THE BRITISH COLONIAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE OF HIS ACTIVISM AGAINST BRITISH RULE. THERE HE GAVE A SERIES OF TALKS ON THE GITA, IN HIS NATIVE LANGUAGE MARATHI, TO HIS FELLOW PRISONERS.THESE HIGHLY INSPIRING TALKS WERE LATER PUBLISHED AS THE BOOK "TALKS ON THE GITA", AND IT HAS BEEN TRANSLATED INTO MANY LANGUAGES BOTH IN INDIA AND ELSEWHERE. VINOBA FELT THAT THE SOURCE OF THESE TALKS WAS SOMETHING FROM ABOVE AND HE BELIEVED THAT ITS INFLUENCE WILL ENDURE EVEN IF HIS OTHER WORKS WERE FORGOTTEN.IN 1940 HE WAS CHOSEN BY GANDHI TO BE THE FIRST INDIVIDUAL SATYAGRAHI (AN INDIVIDUAL STANDING UP FOR TRUTH INSTEAD OF A COLLECTIVE ACTION) AGAINST THE BRITISH RULE. IT IS SAID THAT GANDHI ENVIED AND RESPECTED BHAVE'S CELIBACY, A VOW HE MADE IN HIS ADOLESCENCE, IN FITTING WITH HIS BELIEF IN THE BRAHMACHARYA PRINCIPLE. BHAVE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT.

RELIGIOUS AND

SOCIAL WORK

VINOBA'S RELIGIOUS OUTLOOK WAS VERY BROAD AND IT SYNTHESIZED THE TRUTHS OF MANY RELIGIONS. THIS CAN BE SEEN IN ONE OF HIS HYMNS "OM TAT SAT" WHICH CONTAINS SYMBOLS OF MANY RELIGIONS.VINOBA OBSERVED THE LIFE OF THE AVERAGE INDIAN LIVING IN A VILLAGE AND TRIED TO FIND SOLUTIONS FOR THE PROBLEMS HE FACED WITH A FIRM SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION. THIS FORMED THE CORE OF HIS SARVODAYA (UPLIFTING OF ALL) MOVEMENT. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THE BHOODAN (LAND GIFT) MOVEMENT STARTED AT POCHAMPALLY ON 18 APRIL 1951, AFTER INTERACTING WITH 80 HARIJAN FAMILIES. HE WALKED ALL ACROSS INDIA ASKING PEOPLE WITH LAND TO CONSIDER HIM AS ONE OF THEIR SONS AND SO GIVE HIM ONE SIXTH OF THEIR LAND WHICH HE THEN DISTRIBUTED TO LANDLESS POOR. NON-VIOLENCE AND COMPASSION BEING A HALLMARK OF HIS PHILOSOPHY, HE ALSO CAMPAIGNED AGAINST THE SLAUGHTERING OF COWS.VINOBA SAID, "I HAVE WALKED ALL OVER INDIA FOR 13 YEARS. IN THE BACKDROP OF ENDURING PERPETUITY OF MY LIFE’S WORK, I HAVE ESTABLISHED 6 ASHRAMS. ALTHOUGH I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT, ONE OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS “BABA” WOULD LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED FOR, IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THESE ASHRAMS. HENCE, SIX GEOGRAPHICAL SITES WERE CHOSEN. THREE IN THE THREE CORNERS OF INDIA AND THREE IN THE MIDDLE, ON THE LINES OF ADI SHANKARA.SAMANVAY ASHRAM IN BODHGAYA, BIHARBRAHMA VIDYA MANDIR IN PAUNAR, MAHARASHTRAPRASTHAN ASHRAM IN PATHANKOT, PUNJABVISARJAN ASHRAM IN INDORE, MADHYA PRADESHMAITRI ASHRAM IN NORTH LAKHIMPUR, CLOSE TO SINO-INDIA BORDER, ASSAM

LITERARY CAREER

VINOBA BHAVE WAS A SCHOLAR, THINKER, AND WRITER WHO PRODUCED NUMEROUS BOOKS. HE WAS A TRANSLATOR WHO MADE SANSKRIT TEXTS ACCESSIBLE TO THE COMMON MAN. HE WAS ALSO AN ORATOR AND LINGUIST WHO HAD AN EXCELLENT COMMAND OF SEVERAL LANGUAGES (MARATHI, GUJARATI, HINDI, URDU, ENGLISH, SANSKRIT). VINOBA BHAVE WAS AN INNOVATIVE SOCIAL REFORMER. SHRI VINOBA BHAVE CALLED NAGARI SCRIPT THE "QUEEN OF WORLD SCRIPTS". HE WROTE BRIEF INTRODUCTIONS TO, AND CRITICISMS OF, SEVERAL RELIGIOUS AND PHILOSOPHICAL WORKS LIKE THE BHAGAVAD GITA, WORKS OF ADI SHANKARACHARYA, THE BIBLE ANDQURAN. HIS CRITICISM OF DNYANESHWAR'S POETRY AND WORKS BY OTHER MARATHI SAINTS IS QUITE BRILLIANT AND A TESTIMONY TO THE BREADTH OF HIS INTELLECT.VINOBA BHAVE HAD TRANSLATED THE BHAGAVAD GITA INTO MARATHI. HE WAS DEEPLY INFLUENCED BY THE GITA AND ATTEMPTED TO IMBIBE ITS TEACHINGS INTO HIS LIFE, OFTEN STATING THAT "THE GITA IS MY LIFE'S BREATH".[SOME OF HIS WORKS ARE:THE ESSENCE OF QURANTHE ESSENCE OF CHRISTIAN TEACHINGSTHOUGHTS ON EDUCATIONSWARAJYA SASTRAA UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN NAMED AFTER HIM, VINOBA BHAVE UNIVERSITY, WHICH IS LOCATED IN HAZARIBAGH DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF JHARKHAND.

VINOBHA BHAVE AND LAND DONATION MOVEMENT

IN 1951 VINOBA BHAVE STARTED HIS LAND DONATION MOVEMENT, THE BHOODAN MOVEMENT. HE TOOK DONATED LAND FROM LAND

OWNER INDIANS AND GAVE IT AWAY TO THE POOR AND LANDLESS, FOR THEM TO CULTIVATE. THEN AFTER 1954, HE STARTED TO ASK FOR DONATIONS OF WHOLE VILLAGES IN A PROGRAMME HE CALLED

GRAMDAN. HE GOT MORE THAN 1000 VILLAGES BY WAY OF DONATION. OUT OF THESE, HE OBTAINED 175 DONATED VILLAGES IN TAMIL NADU

ALONE.

VINOBA SPENT THE LATER PART OF HIS LIFE AT HIS BRAHMA VIDYA MANDIR ASHRAM IN PAUNAR, MAHARASHTRA. HE DIED ON 15

NOVEMBER 1982 AFTER REFUSING FOOD AND MEDICINE FOR A FEW DAYS. THE THEN PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA, INDIRA GANDHI CUT SHORT HER

VISIT TO MOSCOW,TO ATTEND THE FUNERAL OF SOVIET LEADER LEONID BREZHNEV TO BE AT THE FUNERAL OF VINOBA BHAVE.

INFORMATION:-EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

IMAGES:-WWW.GOOGLE.COM/IMGHP