Ravishankar Vyas

Ravishankar Vyas, better known as Ravishankar Maharaj, was an Indian independence activist, social worker and Gandhian from Gujarat.

Life Ravishankar Vyas was born on 25 February 1884, Mahashivaratri, in Radhu village (now in Kheda district, Gujarat, India) to Pitambar Sivram Vyas and Nathiba, a Vadara Brahmin peasant family. His family was native of Sarsavani village near Mahemdavad. He dropped out after the sixth standard to help his parents in agriculture work. He married Surajba. His father died when he was 19 and his mother died when he was 22.

He was influenced by Arya Samaj philosophy. He founded Rashtriya Shala (National School) in Sunav village in 1920. He left his rights on ancestral property against wish of wife and joined Indian Independence Movement in 1921. He participated in Borsad Satyagraha in 1923 and protested against Haidiya Tax. He also participated in Bardoli Satyagraha in 1928 and was imprisoned by British authority for six months. He participated in relief work of flood in 1927 which earned him recognition. He joined Gandhi in Salt March in 1930 and was imprisoned for two years. In 1942, he also participated in Quit India Movement and also tried to pacify communal violence in Ahmedabad. He also opposed the Emergency in 1975. Until his death, it was a tradition that every newly appointed Chief Minister of Gujarat visit him for blessings after taking oath of office. He died on 1 July 1984 in Borsad, Gujarat. The memorial dedicated to him is located at Adhyapan Mandir, Vallabh Vidyalaya, Bochasan.

Works He wrote about education, rural reconstruction and Kolkata.

In popular culture Jhaverchand Meghani has written Manasai Na Diva based on his experiences with him during his social work among tribals. Pannalal Patel has also written a biographical novel Jene Jivi Janyu (1984) on him.