Vinoba Bhave (1895-1982) was born on September 11, 1895 in Kolaba, Maharashtra in a Chitpavan brahmin family. His early education was at Baroda. Later, he studied at Varanasi. He was interested mainly in philosophical literature. He joined Sabarmati ashram and became one of the closest associates of Gandhi. He was actively involved in the Nagpur Salt Satyagraha, the Dandi March and the Temple Entry Movement in Kerala. In 1940, he was chosen by Gandhi to be the first Satyagrahi for the individual civil disobedience movement. Vinoba Bhave set up Gandhi ashrams at Paunar and Maganwadi. He started the Bhoodan Movement after independence to enable agricultural labourers acquires some land. He also led the Sarvodaya movement.
Vinoba Bhave was a learned scholar. He knew eighteen languages (both Indian and foreign). He wrote several books, of which Gitai in Marathi, Gita Pravachan in Hindi and Bhoodan Yajna has won international fame. Vinoba Bhave was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously.