Gujarat Vidya Sabha, originally called Gujarat Vernacular Society, is a literary institution for the promotion of vernacular

Gujarati literature The history of Gujarat, Gujarati literature () may be traced to 1000 AD, and this literature has flourished since then to the present. It is unique in having almost no patronage from a ruling dynasty, other than its composers. Gujarat Vidhya S ...

and education, and for the collection of manuscripts and printed books; located in the city of

Ahmedabad Ahmedabad ( ), also spelled Amdavad (), is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 ...

, India. It was founded by a British administrator,

Alexander Kinloch Forbes Alexander Kinloch Forbes (7 July 1821 – 31 August 1865) was a colonial administrator in British India. Early life Forbes was born in London on 7 July 1821 to John Forbes-Mitchell (1786-1822) of Thainston and Ann Powell (m. 1809 d. 1861). He was ...

, in 1848 with the Gujarati author

Dalpatram Dalpatram Dahyabhai Travadi (21 January 1820 – 25 March 1898) was a Gujarati language poet during 19th century in India. He was the father of Nanalal Dalpatram Kavi, a poet. He led social reform movements in Ahmedabad, and wrote articles aga ...

. The name was changed on the occasion of the centenary of the institution. It published Gujarat's first newspaper, established the first Gujarati school for girls, the first library and the first Gujarati periodical.

History

Gujarat Vernacular Society was founded by

British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...

administrator,

on 26 December 1848 along with

. The fund of Rs 9601 was raised from locals,

Baroda State Baroda State was a kingdom within the Maratha Confederacy and later a princely state in present-day Gujarat. It was ruled by the Gaekwad dynasty from its formation in 1721 until its accession to the newly formed Dominion of India. With th ...

and British officers. The society had in 1877 a fund of £2791 (Rs. 27,910), of which £1000 (Rs. 10,000) were contributed by Premchand Raichand of Bombay. The first newspaper in Gujarat was started in Ahmedabad by this society. It was a weekly paper issued on Wednesday, ''Budhvar'', and hence in Ahmedabad all newspapers were called ''Budhvariya'' during those times. In 1849 the Native Library was established for members which mainly contained English books. The nagarsheth of Ahmedabad Himabhai had donated a large amount of money for the construction of the library and in 1857 it was converted into the Himabhai Institute. The first girls' school in Ahmedabad. were established by the help of this society. Useful books were printed by it, and the publication of others was helped by money grants. It brought out a monthly magazine, ''

Buddhiprakash (, English: Light of Knowledge) is a Gujarati language magazine published by Gujarat Vidya Sabha (formerly known as Gujarat Vernacular Society), Ahmedabad, India. History was established in 1850 as a lithotype fortnightly. The first issue ...

'', which in 1876 had a monthly sale of 1250 copies. The magazine is still published. The society helps libraries in all parts of Gujarat and Kathiawar, and gives prizes to schools. It undertakes to sell and distribute books, and offers annual prizes for essays on various useful subjects. A yearly prize of £15 (Rs. 150) is given for the best Gujarati essay on a given subject, the funds coming from an endowment of £250 (Rs. 2500) made in 1864 by a Bombay merchant, Sorabji Jamsedji Jijibai. Its library contained (1877) 1590 volumes in various languages. At the close of 1876 there were forty-eight life members, two yearly members, and two honorary members. Its yearly receipts amount to about £180 (Rs. 1800) and its expenditure to £129 (Rs. 1290). The textile pioneer of Gujarat, Rao Bahadur Ranchhodlal Chhotalal, donated money to the Gujarat Vernacular Society to start a girls' high school, which was started in 1892 and was named RB Ranchhodlal Chhotalal Girls High School after the donor.Census of India, 1961 – Volume 5, Issue 1 – Page 187 In 1939, the society's president

Anandshankar Dhruv Anandshankar Bapubhai Dhruv (25 February 1869 – 7 April 1942) was a Gujarati scholar, writer, educationist and editor from Bombay Presidency, British India. His name is revered as "Acharya" (a learned person) in Gujarat, and hence generally ...

instituted the Department of Postgraduate Education and Research with a donation of 2 lakh rupees from Bholabhai Jeshingbhai and since 1946 functions as the Sheth Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Institute of Learning And Research. The society changed its name to Gujarat Vidya Sabha in 1946. H.K. (Harivallabhdas Kalidas) Commerce College was founded by the GVS in 1968. Premabhai Hall is owned by the Gujarat Vidya Sabha.

Notable members

* Ranchhodlal Chhotalal * Ambalal Sakarlal Desai * Keshavlal Dhruv * Ramanbhai Nilkanth *

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...

(honorary) *

Vidyagauri Nilkanth Vidyagauri Nilkanth (1876-1958) was an Indian social reformer, educationist, and writer. She was also one of the first two women graduates in Gujarat. Early life Vidyagauri Nilkanth was born on 1 June 1876 in Ahmedabad. She was the daughter o ...

Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar (27 November 1888 – 27 February 1956) popularly known as ''Dadasaheb'', was an Indian politician and independence activist who served as the President (from 1946 to 1947) of the Central Legislative Assembly, then Spea ...

* Rasiklal Parikh * Chinubhai Chimanlal *

Keshavram Kashiram Shastri Keshavram Kashiram Bambhaniya (Gujarati (ISO 15919): Keśavarāma Kāśīrāma Śāstrī), also known as K. K. Shastri, was the founding leader of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. He was among the dignitaries who attended the first meeting of VHP in 1 ...

References

External links

* {{Authority control Gujarati literature Organisations based in Ahmedabad 1848 establishments in British India Educational organisations based in India Education in Gujarat Non-profit organisations based in India Gujarati literary institutions Founders of Indian schools and colleges

History

Notable members

See also

References

External links