Dr. Kanhaiyalal Maneklal Munshi

Our Founder

Dr. Kanhaiyalal Maneklal Munshi, the founder of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan was philosopher in action, a man of great ideas and great courage and a multi-faceted genius. The versatility of Munshiji is seen in his role as lawyer, creative writer, constitution-maker, freedom fighter, administrator, organization-builder and champion of Indian culture. Dr. Munshi looked upon himself as a "sea shell thrown up by the mighty flood of Indian renaissance."

He founded the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in 1938. He said, "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-Satyam, Shivam and Sundaram-Truth, Love and Beauty-in personal and collective life." The Bhavan, in the words of Dr. Radhakrishnan, is the greatest monument of Munshi's life.

Till his death in 1971 he devoted all his energies to the building up of the Bhavan as the premier cultural organization of the country.

Bhavan's Faith

Let me once again set forth the Bhavan's faith 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 and word and deed;
  • DEDICATION which offers all moments of life as an offering to God;
  • SUBLIMATION which purifies the body and mind and transmutes instincts, passions and emotions into things of beauty.

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 take every effort in restoring an awareness of these values in personal and collective life.

Bhavans
Mission & Vision

The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan stands for the re-integration of Indian Culture and re-vitalization of Dharma in its three-fold form of Truth, Love and Beauty. SATHYAM, SHIVAM, SUNDARAM

Aims, Objectives and Philosophy

Kulapati Munshiji's vision of education based on fundamental values is the aim & objective of all Bhavan's institutions.

Ideal education should impart knowledge, shape the character, and mould the personality of the child; it should assist hi in imbibing and assimilating the social, moral, ethical, and spiritual values so necessary for the development of an attitude of service. Effective education should help in transforming the child into what our Shastras describe as "Puranapurasha".

Purpose of Education

"Education would fail ignominiously in its objective, if it manufactured only a robot and called him an economic man accenting the adjective economic and forgetting the substantive man. A university cannot afford to ignore the cultural aspects of education, whatever studies it specializes in. Science is a means, not an end, whereas culture is an end in itself. Even though you may ultimately become a scientist, a doctor, or an engineer, you must, while in college, absorb fundamental values which will make you a man of culture. An engineer has not merely to build bridges; he has to be a devoted husband, a kind of father, a friendly neighbor, a dutiful citizen, and a man true to himself. He will have trials and tribulations; his heart will fail him at times; he will then need the strength which true culture alone can give."