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'''Gujarat Vidya Sabha''', originally called '''Gujarat Vernacular Society,''' is a literary institution for the promotion of vernacular [[Gujarati literature]] and education, and for the collection of manuscripts and printed books; located in the city of [[Ahmedabad]], [[India]]. It was founded by a [[United Kingdom|British]] administrator, [[Alexander Kinloch Forbes]], in 1848 with the Gujarati author [[Dalpatram]].<ref name=c/><ref name="Datta1988">{{cite book|author=Amaresh Datta|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zB4n3MVozbUC&pg=PA1729|year=1988|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-1194-0|page=1729}}</ref> The name was changed on the occasion of the centenary of the institution.<br />
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It published Gujarat's first newspaper, established the first Gujarati school for girls, the first library and the first Gujarati periodical.<ref name=c/><br />
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==History==<br />
[[File:Buddhi Prakash Gujarati periodical 1850.jpg|thumb|''[[Buddhiprakash]]'', Gujarati periodical, 1850]]<br />
[[File:Vartamaan Gujarati newspaper 1849.jpg|thumb|''Vartaman'', Gujarati newspaper, 1849]]Gujarat Vernacular Society was founded by [[British East India Company]] administrator, [[Alexander Kinloch Forbes]] on 26 December 1848 along with [[Dalpatram]].<ref name=c/> The fund of Rs 9601 was raised from locals, [[Baroda State]] and British officers.<ref name="Shastriv2015">{{cite web | last=Shastri | first=Paul John & Parth | title=Forbes, Gujarati's renaissance man | website=The Times of India | date=31 August 2015 | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Forbes-Gujaratis-renaissance-man/articleshow/48737160.cms | access-date=1 September 2015}}</ref><ref name="vShastri 2013">{{cite web | last=Shastri | first=Parth | title=Gujarat Vernacular Society instrumental in revival of language | website=The Times of India | date=26 December 2013 | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Gujarat-Vernacular-Society-instrumental-in-revival-of-language/articleshow/27927564.cms | access-date=1 September 2015}}</ref> The society had in 1877 a fund of £2791 (Rs. 27,910), of which £1000 (Rs. 10,000) were contributed by [[Premchand Raichand]] of Bombay. The first newspaper in Gujarat was started in Ahmedabad by this society. It was a weekly paper issued on Wednesday, ''Budhvar'', and hence in Ahmedabad all newspapers were called ''Budhvariya'' during those times. The library, now included in the Hemabhai Institute, and the first girls' school in Ahmedabad, were established by the help of this society. Useful books were printed by it, and the publication of others was helped by money grants. It brought out a monthly magazine, ''[[Buddhiprakash]]'', which in 1876 had a monthly sale of 1250 copies. The magazine is still published. The society helps libraries in all parts of Gujarat and Kathiawar, and gives prizes to schools. It undertakes to sell and distribute books, and offers annual prizes for essays on various useful subjects. A yearly prize of £15 (Rs. 150) is given for the best Gujarati essay on a given subject, the funds coming from an endowment of £250 (Rs. 2500) made in 1864 by a Bombay merchant, Sorabji Jamsedji Jijibai. Its library contained (1877) 1590 volumes in various languages. At the close of 1876 there were forty-eight life members, two yearly members, and two honorary members. Its yearly receipts amount to about £180 (Rs. 1800) and its expenditure to £129 (Rs. 1290).<ref>{{cite book | title=Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency: Ahmedabad | website=Google Books | date=7 January 2015 | url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Gazetteer_of_the_Bombay_Presidency_Ahmed.html?id=EL4IAAAAQAAJ | access-date=1 February 2015|pages=310–311}}{{PD-notice}}</ref><br />
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The textile pioneer of Gujarat, Rao Bahadur [[Ranchhodlal Chhotalal]], donated money to the Gujarat Vernacular Society to start a girls' high school, which was started in 1892 and was named [[RB Ranchhodlal Chhotalal Girls High School]] after the donor.<ref name=c>Census of India, 1961 - Volume 5, Issue 1 - Page 187</ref><br />
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The society changed its name to Gujarat Vidya Sabha in 1946.<ref name="Shastriv2015"/><br />
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The Vidya Sabha is currently presided by the architect [[Balkrishna Doshi]].<ref name="Shastriv2015"/><br />
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==See also==<br />
*[[Gujarati Sahitya Parishad]]<br />
*[[Gujarat Sahitya Sabha]]<br />
*[[Gujarat Sahitya Akademi]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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{{Authority control}}<br />
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[[Category:Gujarati literature]]<br />
[[Category:Organisations based in Ahmedabad]]<br />
[[Category:1848 establishments in British India]]<br />
[[Category:Educational organisations based in India]]<br />
[[Category:Education in Gujarat]]<br />
[[Category:Non-profit organisations based in India]]<br />
[[Category:Indic literature societies]]<br />
[[Category:Founders of Indian schools and colleges]]</div>imported>Gazal world