Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honour and privilege for me to be present in these hallowed surroundings of Vinoba Niketan. It is a place of pilgrimage and I have come here as a pilgrim to pay my homage to a Saint and a practical visionary. Any place associated with the name of Acharya Vinoba Bhave is a sacred place. It is particularly so in the case of Vinoba Niketan. This place has been for long a temple of constructive action.

Standing here I recall that Vinoba Bhave was born in September, 1895, at the very time when Swami Vivekananda was addressing the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago. It was only a few years later that Mahatma Gandhi started his first Satyagraha in South Africa. One rarely comes across in the span of one generation such great personalities born in one country to serve the cause of mankind worldwide.

Vinoba Bhave was one of the outstanding and truly exemplary followers of Mahatma Gandhi. He moulded himself in the image of the Mahatma and earned the loyalty of millions of our people in his lifetime. Vinobaji participated in the struggle for independence and suffered imprisonment. This year we celebrated the 75th anniversary of Dandi March. Mahatma Gandhi chose Vinobaji as one of the 78 persons to accompany him to Dandi to break the salt law. He was one of the earliest disciples of Gandhiji to have joined him at Sabarmati Ashram, right from its inception.

Gandhiji described Vinobaji as one of the "rare pearls" of the Sabarmati Ashram. As "one of those who have come not to be blessed but to bless, not to receive but to give." During 1939-40, when Second World War broke out, India was dragged into the war. Our nationalist leaders protested non-violently against the decision of the British Government. They expressed their opinion against war and spread the message of non-violence among people. The British Government imposed restrictions on freedom of speech and prevented the press from disseminating Gandhiji's message of non-violence. This encouraged Gandhiji to launch individual satyagraha solely for the cause of freedom of speech and expression. He chose Vinoba to lead that Satyagraha. Introducing Vinoba to rest of the country he explained the reason as to why he was selected. Gandhiji described him as a man who abolished every trace of untouchability from his heart. He praised him for his knowledge of Sanskrit and our scriptures and also for his deep understanding of Koran and Arabic. Vinobaji had also identified himself with the lowly and the lost, serving lepers and the poorest of the poor.

Vinobaji immersed himself in the Constructive Programme of Mahatma Gandhi. After Independence he became the Director of the Mahila Ashram in Wardha and later launched the historic Bhoodan Movement. Vinobaji recognized the needs of the poor for land and appealed to the higher sense of the landed rich. Many people were personally transformed by Vinobaji and responded to his appeal. Thousands of land owners parted with their land for the benefit of the landless poor. He made sure that atleast a third of the land was donated to Dalits. His silent revolution to empower the landless was hailed by Bertrand Russell, the great philosopher and litterateur, as a "bloodless revolution".

The Vinoba Niketan is an inspiring example of service to society. It has not only reached out to people through numerous constructive actions but has also aimed at morally regenerating our society. Its contributions in promoting communal harmony and peace are notable. It is heartening to know that it has devoted itself to uplift poverty stricken people. Vinoba Bhave sincerely believed that political freedom must be accompanied by passionate work for social and economic equality. He called that work as work for Sarvodaya. He described his plan for Sarvodaya as his Five Year Plan. He expressed confidence that if people with right earnestness come forward to implement that plan a great non-violent revolution would take place in India.

I have great pleasure in noting that the Vinoba Niketan is aiming at realizing that vision through dedicated work. Such organizations can play a very important role in supplementing the efforts of the Government for establishing a just social and economic order. I wish all those associated with the Vinoba Niketan all success. May your path be blessed.

Jai Hind!