Social Worker Maharaj Ravishankar.

Ravishankar Maharaj.  (1884-1984).

In recognition of the social services rendered by Ravishankar Maharaj, Department of Post and Telegraph, Government of India, in the year 1986 issued a commemorative stamp depicting him as a freedom fighter and national leader.

Ravishankar Vyas, known as the Maharaj in Gujarat and all over India, was a true Gandhian, a leading freedom fighter and a humble servant of the people.

Born to a peasant Brahmin family of Radhu Village of Kaira District, Gujarat, Ravishankar dropped out of school just after the sixth standard and engaged himself to assist the parents, Nathiba and Pitamber Shivram Vyas in agriculture work.

          

Those were the days when the freedom movement of India was at the turning point towards independence from the British imperialism. MK Gandhi’s leadership was emerging in Champaran, Bihar, Mk Gandhi was ready to lead another Kisan movement in Kaira, Gujarat.

Ravishankar inspired by MK Gandhi’s ideas also joined the non-violent battle of the peasants of Kaira with courage and enthusiasm. His short-term association with MK Gandhi brought a drastic change in his vision of life. Therefore, by going from village-to-village in the Kaira district, he collected fact-based information regarding problems and difficulties of farmers proving himself to be a restless, tireless and a great constructive worker of his time.

          

The Gujarat region was the centre of activities pertaining to the national liberation movement of India in these days and strategies for all future program were also decided from there. Ravishankar Vyas was selected, who were given the responsibility to decide strategy in making the Non-Cooperation Movement as an unprecedented and successful movement under the  guidance of Vallabhbhai. He accomplished this task in launching of the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930.

          

Ravishankar Vyas participated in Borsad movement and Bardoli Peasants’ Agitation, and Quit India Movement and suffered imprisonment for ten years.

          

He established Rashtriya-shala at Sunav, Gujarat, making the youth self-reliant with a sense of duty and values. He worked day and night at the time of a natural calamity that came in the form of floods in 1927 in the Central Gujarat and earn the title of Maharaj.

          

Ravishankar Maharaj associated himself with the Sarvodaya and the Bhoodan movements and concentrated his entire energy on practical and beneficial work for the welfare of the down-trodden people of Gujarat. Organizing relief works for the aid of the victims of natural calamities like cyclones, floods and draughts in villages, in making permanent arrangements for the implementation of relief work in view of the repeated onslaught of such natural calamities, and his noteworthy work for the common men and particularly rural masses became the source of inspiration for those concerned about reconstruction and rebuilding India. 

          

Ravishankar Maharaj as a social reformer, worker and leader, was a real Gandhian and highly respected among the people of Gujarat. The Maharaj breathed his last on July 1, 1984 at the age of 100.   Zaverchand Meghani’s famous novel ‘Mansaai na Deeva’ is based on the life of Ravishankar Maharaj.