History News Desk !!! Manubhai Rajaram Pancholi (English: Manubhai Rajaram Pancholi, born- 15 October 1914; died- 29 August 2001) was a famous writer, novelist, politician and educationist of Gujarati language. He also participated actively in the Indian Independence Movement and then worked in various positions after independence. He was awarded the ‘Sahitya Akademi Award (Gujarati)’ in 1975 for a novel ‘Socrates’ written by Manubhai Pancholi. In 1987, he was awarded the Murti Devi Award for his Gujarati work ‘Zeer Te Pidha Chhe Jani Jani’.
Manubhai Rajaram Pancholi was born on October 15, 1914 in Panchshiya village in Morbi district of Gujarat. He completed his primary education from Tithwa Lunsar. In 1930, while he was studying in Wankaner, he left his studies to participate in the Salt Satyagraha. He was imprisoned in Sabarmati, Nasik and Visapur. He started his career as rector in the Educational Institute, Dakshinamurthy in Bhavnagar in 1932 and later joined Gram Dakshinamurthy, Ambala as professor in 1938. Manubhai Rajaram Pancholi was arrested during the Quit India Movement in 1942 and put in Bhavnagar jail. He served as the Education Minister of Bhavnagar State in 1948. In 1953, he co-founded Lokbharati Gramvidyapeeth Sansthan with Nanabhai Bhatt in Sanosara. Manubhai Rajaram Pancholi married Vijayaben Patel, daughter of a Patidar family from Varad village in Bardoli. Manubhai Rajaram Pancholi was a member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly from 1967 to 1971 and served as Education Minister in 1970. He was arrested during the Emergency in 1975. He served as the President of the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad from 1981 to 1983. He was also the President of the Gujarat Sahitya Academy from 1991 to 1998. Manubhai Rajaram Pancholi died on 29 August 2001 in Sanosara, Bhavnagar, Gujarat due to kidney disease. Manubhai Rajaram Pancholi was awarded the ‘Saraswati Samman’. He was also known by his nickname ‘Darshak’.
