Swami Chidananada 21.5.2016

Swami Chidananada, whose birth centenary is being celebrated all over India and abroad had devoted his life serving the lepers and poor people in the destitute home. The 100 days celebration programme which started on June 16 came to an end on Saturday. This included prachar yatras, various state and inter-state conferences, dramas and many other events organised by the Divine Life Society (DLS).

India Post had issued a commemorative postage stamp on Swami Chidanand on May this year. Sridhar Rao, as Swami Chidananda was known before taking sannyasa (embracing a life of renunciation), was born on September 24, 1916. Chidananada joined the ashram of Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj at Rishikesh in 1943. After joining the ashram he took charge of the dispensary and became famous as the man with the healing hand.

Murlidhar Devidas Amte 30.12.2014

Murlidhar Devidas Amte, popularly known as Baba Amte (26 December 1914 – 9 February 2008) was an Indian social worker and social activist known particularly for his work for the rehabilitation and empowerment of poor people suffering from leprosy.

T.N. Narayanaswami 11.11.2012

Surendra Nath Jauhar 2.9.2011

Surendra Nath Jauhar was a noted freedom fighter social worker, industrialist and philanthropist. Jauhar born in 1903 joined the freedom struggle at the age of 16 in response to a call to the youth of the country by Mahatma Gandhi He was a leading Congressman of Delhi, he was thrown behind bars for 15 months twice for reading the Purna Swaraj pledge in 1930, and for participating in the Quit India Movement from 1942 to 1944. He gave away his land to establish the Sri Aurobindo Ashram – Delhi Branch in 1956, and also became the founder of Sri Aurobindo Education Society, under which he started The Mother’s International School in 1956 and Mirambika in 1982 

Immanuel Sekaranar 31.12.2010

Emmanuvel Sekaran was a revolutionary of Tamil Nadu against the caste. He was a farmer in the ramanathapuram and later he joined Army and then he resigned from army for the people(including Nadar) who were suffering by cast-ism in Tamil Nadu. He belongs to Devendra Kula Vellalar caste. He actively participated in caste reform activities. His death anniversary day is attended by groups of Devendrakula (Mallar) people from different places in Tamil Nadu every year.

Shri Bhausaheb Hiray 22.12.2010

Shri Bhausaheb Hiray was born on 01^st March 1905 at Nimgaon, a small village in Nashik district. Shri Bhausaheb Hiray had a strong conviction that education is the only tool with which the poverty of the people can be rooted out. His life’s mission was to provide good education. He formed “Nimgaon Vibhag Prasarak Mandal” and Adivasi Sewa Samiti and opened schools & hostels.  

Whether it was building up the cooperative movement, fostering unity between Hindus and Muslims, imparting good education, tribal movement, launching of Koyna Dam   getting the Tillers Act implemented; the role of Shri Bhausaheb Hiray was truly commendable. In 1960, he led a delegation to Japan and successfully voiced India‘s concern on Nuclear Proliferation.   He passed away on 06^th November 1961.

Sri Sri Amarendranath Chakravarty popularly known as Sri Sri Borda 6.12.2010

Sri Sri Amarendranath Chakravarty popularly known as Sri Sri Borda was born on 21^st November 1911 at Himayetpur, in Pabna district of Bengalprovince, now in Bangladesh to Sri Sri Thakur Anukulchandra and Smt. Jagat–Janani Sree Sree Shorashibala Devi.

He raised a volunteer force called Swasti Sevak Vahini by drafting youths and taught them to maintain social peace, harmony and to provide necessary service to the people. A de-addiction centre for the drug addicted was opened where thousands of people are treated. He made the Ashram Hospital give free medical treatment to the needy and destitute. Artificial limbs to the handicapped are being distributed free of cost. In the free community kitchen thousands are fed. 

He was ever ready to come to the aid anyone who needs it. With his sympathetic attitude he endured the weak and the wicked; encouraged the daunted and the destitute. He consoled the aggrieved, relieved and the sufferers held up the fallen and led them to the light of life.

Birth Anniversary of Veluthampi Dalawa 6.5.2010

Velayudhan Chempakaraman Thampi, alias Velu thampi Dalawa, was born inThalakkulam village, Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu on 6^th May 1765. His mother tongue was Malayalam but he was proficient in English, Tamil and Sanskrit. An expert in Ayurveda, Astrology, Tarka Sastra and Mathematics, was also adept in the practice of ‘Kalaripayattu’,  the martial art of Kerala.

  At the age of 24, he became the Tehasildar, locally known as “Karyakkar” during Dharma Raja Karthika Thirunal’s  rule. In 1799 he had led an agitation, marching to the Travancore Palace demanding strict action against corruption. He condemned the Government’s tax hike policy. His continuous crusade against corruption impressed the king and the king promoted him as ‘Mulakumadiseela Sarvadi Karyakkar’ (Finance Minister).

Rev. J.J.M. Nichols Roy 12.6.2009

Jacques-Louis David was born August 30, 174 His leadership and wisdom, his closeness to national leaders particularly Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal, gave his people a feeling of security and identification with the national movement.

Rev. J.J.M. Nichols Roy‘s stand for the cause of tribal identity was forthright and courageous. Although he was a Khasi tribal, his cause was for the greater good of all the tribals in the region and of the entire nation. Public Service was, to him a fusion of social, economic and spiritual services.

Rev. J.J.M. Nichols Roy passed away on 1^st November 1959.

Shri Harakh Chand Nahata 28.2.2009

Shri Harakh Chand Nahata (18 July 1936 – 21 February 1999) was a prominent Indian businessman and social leader.

Vi. Kalyanasundaranar 21.10.2005

Vi. Kalyanasundaranar (1883-1953) was a scholar-writer and was well-known as "Thiru Vi. Ka.". An eminent scholar in Tamil, a great writer, a fluent speaker, and a former Trade Union Leader. Thiru Vi. Ka. had written nearly 50 books on subjects of varied interest — such as school education, social service, and religion. He had been a keen advocate for workers' rights, but retired from trade union and political activity in 1947.

C. Iyothee Thass 21.10.2005

C. Iyothee Thass (20 May 1845 – 1914) was a prominent Paraiyar and anti-caste activist and a practitioner of Siddha medicine who is regarded as a pioneer of the Dravidian Movement. He famously converted to Buddhism and called upon the Paraiyars to do the same, arguing that this was their original religion. He also founded the Punchmar Mahajana Sabha in 1891 along with Rettaimalai Srinivasan. Punchamas are the one who does not come under Varna system. They are called as Avarnas.

"Iyothee Thass" is the most common Anglicized spelling of his name; other spellings include Pandit C. Ayodhya Dasa, C. Iyothee Doss, C. Iyodhi Doss, C. Iyothee Thoss, K. Ayōttitācar (avarkaḷ) or K. Ayōttitāsa (paṇṭitaravarkaḷ.

Bhai Puran Singh 10.12.2004

Bhai Puran Singh (June 4, 1904 – August 5, 1992) was born in Rajewal (Rohno) Ludhiana district, Punjab. Born into a Hindu family, he was given the name Ramjidas as a child. Later, while still a child, he chose to become a Sikh. Though he never finished his basic schooling, he became a writer, a (self) publisher, an environmentalist, and a philanthropist. He is perhaps best remembered for the home he founded in Amritsar, India, named Pingalwara, a home which long after his death, is still tending to the castaways of society: the sick, disabled and abandoned forlorn people.
He was honoured in 1979 by the Government of India with the Padma Shri award, given for exceptional and distinguished service in any field. He was among the citizens of India who returned their awards and medals after the Indian army's attack on the Golden Temple in 1984. He died on August 5, 1992 in Amritsar.

Kota Shivaram Karanth 10.10.2003

Kota Shivaram Karanth (10 October 1902 – 9 December 1997) was a Kannada writer, social activist, environmentalist, Yakshagana artist, film maker and thinker. Ramachandra Guha called him the "Rabindranath Tagore of Modern India, who has been one of the finest novelists-activists since independence". He was the third writer to be decorated with the Jnanpith Award for Kannada, the highest literary honor conferred in India.

Jayaprakash Narayan 11.10.2001

Jayaprakash Narayan (11 October 1902 – 8 October 1979), popularly referred to as JP or Lok Nayak(The People's Hero), was an Indian independence activist, social reformer and political leader, remembered especially for leading the mid-1970s opposition against Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, for whose overthrow he called a "total revolution". 

His biography, Jayaprakash, was written by his nationalist friend and an eminent writer of Hindi literature, Ramavriksha Benipuri.

In 1999, he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in recognition of his social work. Other awards include the Magsaysay award for Public Service in 1965. The Patna airport is also named after him. The largest hospital run by the Delhi government and the teaching hospital of the famous Maulana Azad Medical College, Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Hospital, is also named after him. It was formerly called Irwin hospital.  

Gadge Baba 20.12.1998

Debuji Zhingraji Janorkar' (February 23, 1876 – December 20, 1956) popularly known as Sant Gadge Maharaj or Gadge Baba  was a social reformer, a wandering mendicant who held weekly festivals with the help of his disciples across Maharashtra. His reforms and visions for villages in India are still a source of inspiration for various political parties and non-government organizations.

Baba Raghav Das 12.12.1998

Baba Raghav Das, popularly known as 'Gandhi of Poorvanchal', was born in a rich Brahman family on 12 December 1896 at Pune, Maharastra. He played a great role in the political, social,economical, and the cultural activities of the nation.

During the independence movement, he was imprisoned many times. After freedom, he preferred to serve people rather than be in the government. However, due to the strong insistence of some of the top leaders of India, he contested in the elections and was elected MLA in 1948. After that he continued to work for the people.

During 1947 to 1957 he dedicated himself to various welfare activities. He took an active part in the 'Bhu-dan' movement started by Binoba Bhave. On January 15, 1958, Baba Raghav Das passed away.

Jananeta Hijam Irabot Singh 30.9.1998

Hijam Irabot Singh (30 September 1896-26 September 1951), alsoJananeta  known as Jana Neta Hijam Irabot, was an active political and social activist during the British rule in Manipur. During his eventful life, he has written journals and composed poems, wrote plays and played in them, participated in various sports activities, but he is best remembered for his chairing the 4th Session of the Nikhil Manipuri Mahasabha and his leadership roles against social injustices during the Second Nupilal, 1939.

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan 27.3.1998

Sir Syed Ahmad Khan CSI (17 October 1817 – 27 March 1898), commonly known as Sir Syed, was an Indian Muslim pragmatist, Islamic modernist, philosopher and social activist of nineteenth century India. He worked for the British East India Company and was one of the founders of the Aligarh Muslim University. In 1842, Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar–II conferred upon Sir Syed the title of Javad-ud Daulah, maintaining the title originally conferred upon Sir Syed's grandfather Syed Hadi by Emperor Shah Alam II around the middle of the 18th century.

In addition, the Emperor added the title of Arif Jang. The conferment of these titles was symbolic of Sir Syed's incorporation into the nobility of Delhi.

Father Jerome D'Souza, SJ 18.12.1997

After Indian Independence, the Jesuits founded the Indian Social Institute in 1951 so that Jesuits in India might involve themselves more seriously in the study and solution of contemporary Indian social problems. Father Jerome D'Souza, SJ,significantly, was selected its first director. Fr. Jerome served as the principal of Loyola College in Chennai (the school church may be seen behind him), had mediated between the Vatican and Nehru about ending Portuguese control of Indian churches, was a member of the Indian Constituent Assembly and four times India's delegate to the United Nation's General Assembly. He was a man committed to political action, social concerns, national welfare and was known among fellow nationals of all faiths for his feel for national concerns.