Founded on November 7, 1938 with the blessings of Mahatma Gandhi and co-operation and support of several distinguished stalwarts of India’s freedom movement, the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan has grown from small beginnings into a comprehensive all India intellectual, cultural and educational movement. It is totally apolitical. Its founder, Kulpati Dr. K. M. Munshi looked upon the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan as an ‘Adventure in Faith’, a faith in India’s past, present and future. It is also a faith in India’s people who have a rich and unbroken cultural heritage True to its goal of revitalizing Dharma or Moral Law in its three fold aspects of Truth, Love and Beauty, the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan is ceaselessly striving to carry forward India’s ageless message of Faith, Self-discipline and dedication. The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan believes that there are elements in all cultures which transcend all barriers and knit people together. Its ideal is: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. “The world is one Family”. Its motto is “Let noble thoughts come to us from every side”. During the last eight decades and more of its existence, the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan has blossomed into an ever growing voluntary apolitical national movement with an international look, devoted to life, literature and culture. The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s multi-dimensional programmes through its 117 centres in India and 7 centres abroad and 355 constituent institutions cover” all aspects of life from the cradle to the grave and beyond-it fills a growing vacuum in modern life,” as Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru observed when he first visited the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in 1950.

Bhavan's Faith

Let me once more set forth the Bhavan’s for the benefit of new students and members, for it is necessary that they should understand it clearly and imbibe its spirit. The Bhavan stands for the reintegration of Indian culture. In a world falling to pieces under the impact of an amoral technological avalanche, it tries to hold fast to the fundamental values for which our culture stands – RITA, SATYA, YAGNA and TAPAS; FAITH in God Who informs the cosmic order; TRUTH which is accord between mind, word and deed; DEDICATION, which offers all movements of life as an offering to God; SUBLIMATION, which purifies the body and mind and transmutes instincts, passions and emotions Into things of beauty. This regardless of forms and doctrines is Dharma, the three-fold aspects of which are SATYAM, SHIVAM, SUNDARAM-Truth, Love and beauty. For these values our forefathers lived and died. So did Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Swami Dayananda, Swami Vivekananda, Gandhiji and Shri Aurobindo, among the moderns. These Values are embedded in our national outlook. We command the respect of the world because of them. We can look forward to the future with confidence only because they have the vitality, which gives the power to vindicate their validity even in this fear-and-avarice-ridden age of ours. We, the Bhavan’s family, whether it is the smaller one or the larger one, must make every effort in restoring an awareness of these values in personal and collective life.

K. M. Munshi

Kanaiyalal Maneklal Munshi, popularly known as K.M. Munshi, was a prominent Indian independence activist, writer, politician, and educationist. He was born on December 30, 1887, in Bharuch, Gujarat, India, and passed away on February 8, 1971, in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. Munshiji was an active participant in the Indian independence movement and was associated with several nationalist organizations such as the Indian National Congress and the Swaraj Party. He was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi and played a significant role in the freedom struggle. Apart from his political work, Munshiji was also an accomplished writer and authored several novels, plays, and essays. He was a prolific writer in both Gujarati and English and is best known for his historical novels such as “Prithviraj Raso,” “Gujarat no Nath,” and “Bhagwan Parshuram.” Munshi’s writings reflected his love for Indian culture and history and aimed to promote national unity and pride. Munshiji was also a prominent educationist and played a significant role in the establishment of several educational institutions, including the Gujarat Vidyapith in Ahmedabad. He believed in the importance of education as a means to promote social and economic progress in India. In recognition of his contributions to Indian literature, culture, and politics, Munshiji was honored with several awards, including the Padma Bhushan and the Sahitya Academy Award. In summary, Kanaiyalal Maneklal Munshiji was a prominent Indian independence activist, writer, politician, and educationist who made significant contributions to Indian society and culture. His work in the fields of politics, literature, and education continues to inspire generations of Indians today.