Social Reformers of India During Independence

Let me help you to know about notable reformers during the independence period in our county and their contribution to social change and social development.

Read 8 Social Reformers Before Independence.

B.R.Ambedkar (1891-1956)

In India, Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar is known as the principal architect of the Indian Constitution and the liberator of the Scheduled Castes. Ambedkar devoted his life to battling against untouchability and the caste system in India. Throughout his life, he was a leader of the depressed classes, working for the untouchables' moral and material advancement. To spread the message of social equality among the untouchables and caste Hindus, he formed the Depressed Classes Institute in 1924 and the Samaj Samata Sangha in 1927. He started a series of efforts to ensure that the lower castes had the same rights as the upper castes. He organized the nonviolent struggle for admittance into the Kala Ram temple in Nasik in March of 1930. He was chosen as the temporary government's law minister as well as the chairman of the Assembly Drafting Committee. He is recognized as being the catalyst for the Dalit Buddhist movement. For his highest level of national service, Ambedkar was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award. Ambedkar was in charge of several constitutional provisions for the welfare of untouchables, including reservation policy. Dr. Ambedkar used a variety of social work techniques, including community organizing.

He had been able to mobilize the untouchables to fight for their material and moral advancement through the community organization approach. He was able to employ the social action method and organize a nonviolent battle with the untouchables to get access to the temple.

He worked for the empowerment of the untouchables/depressed throughout his life, which is still an important goal of professional social work.

Mahatma Gandhi

Perhaps no other Indian made a greater contribution to India's independence than Mahatma Gandhi. From 1919 to 1947, he was the most powerful figure in Indian politics. Under his umbrella, he brought together all aspects of the Indian national movement.

He guided other leaders while actively participating in the war for freedom. By employing his nonviolent weapon of nonviolence, he forced the mighty and powerful British government to capitulate. He did not use any violent measures to attain freedom or independence, instead relying on nonviolent initiatives such as Satyagraha, boycotting foreign commodities, and embracing Swadeshi. He worked hard to keep Hindus and Muslims united in order to prevent the British doctrine of divide and rule from succeeding. Perhaps no other Indian made a greater contribution to India's independence than Mahatma Gandhi. From 1919 to 1947, he was the most powerful figure in Indian politics. Under his umbrella, he brought together all aspects of the Indian national movement.

He guided other leaders while actively participating in the war for freedom. By employing his nonviolent weapon of nonviolence, he forced the mighty and powerful British government to capitulate. He did not use any violent measures to attain freedom or independence, instead of relying on nonviolent initiatives such as Satyagraha, boycotting foreign commodities, and embracing Swadeshi. He worked hard to keep Hindus and Muslims united in order to prevent the British doctrine of divide and rule from succeeding.

Sardar Vallabhabhai Patel (1875-1950)

Vallabhabhai Patel first entered politics in 1918, when he took part in the Kheda Satyagraha, which sought to free landowners from paying land tax for poor crops. In 1922, he organized another peasant uprising in Gujrat's Bardoli Taluka, known as the Bardoli Satyagraha. Gandhi dubbed him Sardar in honor of his outstanding achievement in organizing the campaign. He was a committed participant in all of Mahatma Gandhi's movements. The absorption of 562 princely republics and domains into the Indian Union was the pinnacle of his political career. Patel has spent his entire life working to empower the disadvantaged, particularly peasants. His contribution demonstrates that he was a very accomplished community organizer.

Thakkar Bapa (1861-1941)

Thakkar Bapa, or Amrutlal.V.Thakkar, was a companion, guide, and philosopher to Adivasis and disadvantaged sectors of society who were subjected to untouchability. In Pune, he established cooperative societies for sweepers and scavengers, while in Ahemadabad, he established schools for the children of laborers. The fruits of his labor are constitutional safeguards that protect the interests of harijans. He was a dedicated member of the Indian society's servants who worked tirelessly for the upliftment of the Panchamahals' aboriginal hill tribes. He was a pioneering tribal welfare worker and freedom fighter who was a major Gandhian social worker and freedom warrior. He was the Harijan Sevak Sangha's general secretary. Along with Gandhiji, he went on a Harijan trip in 1933-34. He was a devout member of the Indian Servants' Society. He worked tirelessly for tribal welfare and formed the Gond Sewa Sangha, which is now known as the Vanavasi Sewa Mandal in Madhya Pradesh's Mandala District. Thakkar Bapa had dedicated his life to tribal welfare, which is still a significant area of social work practice today. He had worked as a social worker in a variety of capacities, including educator, motivator, and community organizer, and had arranged a Harijan tour to raise awareness of the Harijans' exploitation.

Vinoba Bhave

Vinoba Bhave was one of India's greatest spiritual leaders and reformers, whose work and personal example touched the hearts of millions of Indians. He dedicated his life to helping others. Vinoba began his amazing Bhoodan (land-gift) movement soon after India gained independence. Vinoba traveled the length and breadth of India for 20 years, urging landowners and landlords to surrender land to their poor and oppressed neighbors. Before him, Sarvodaya, or universal welfare, was a significant goal, and one of the most fundamental values of the social work profession. For his Bhoodan mission, he walked virtually the whole length of India. He traveled over 50,000 miles and acquired over 36 lakh acres from landlords across India. While Gandhian leader Vinoba Bhave was on a walking tour of Telangana, the voluntary land gift movement known as Bhoodan was born. Landless villagers in Ponchempalli village told him they required 100 acres of land. Bhave successfully persuaded his landlord, Ramachandra Reddi, to provide 100 acres. Vinoba Bhave was able to persuade land lords to donate land to the impoverished by employing social casework procedures. He afterward used the community organization method with the locals and was able to persuade them to donate a gramme (village) known as gramdan.

Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan

He made significant contributions to the religious and social advancement of Muslims. The Aligarh Movement is the name of the movement he began to achieve these goals.

He passionately advocated for Muslims to receive western education and knowledge, believing that only by doing so could they grow in the same way as other Indian cultures. He believed that only through the light of western education could their societal woes be alleviated, hence he placed a premium on learning western scientific knowledge. As a government official, he established a number of schools in various villages and towns to promote modern education. Above importantly, in 1873 A.D., he established the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College in Aligarh to promote western scientific knowledge, culture, and education among Muslims in order to better religious and social life. For the upliftment, unity, and organization of Muslims, he formed organizations such as Desh Bhagat Sangathanh and Upper Indian Muslim Security Organization. He argued that the purdah practice should be abolished and that Muslim women should be educated in order to improve their social status.

He was outspoken in his condemnation of the Muslim society's social problems of polygamy and divorce. Sir Sayed Ahmed Khan, more than anybody else, was largely responsible for the Muslim awakening.

Swami Sahaianand Saraswati (1889-1950)

He was a Bihar-based sanyasi, liberation warrior, and kisan leader. He was a strong supporter of both the noncooperation and civil disobedience movements. He began fighting for the independence of the peasantry from feudal oppression in 1928.

The eradication of the Zamindari system and the establishment of peasant proprietorship were important themes of his agrarian reform program. For organizing kisan resistance and struggles, he took up the burning concerns of feudal oppression such as forced labour, unlawful extractions, evictions, and so on. Under his leadership, he created the Bihar Kisan Sabha in 1929. He has presided over multiple All India Kisan Sabha sessions.

He was known as Kisan Pran because of his selfless commitment to the peasants (life of kisans). Swami Saraswati was a devout devotee of Mahatma Gandhi, and he used Gandian techniques to protect poor peasants from zamindars' exploitation. He had used community organising techniques to successfully organize kisan struggles for agrarian reforms.