Khalidmendi at 08:20, 15 August 2024

2024-08-15T08:20:16Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian social worker and politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2024}}

'''Malji Bhai Desai''' (born 1938) is a [[Gandhian]] [[social worker]] and a [[politician]] from the [[India|Indian]] State of [[Gujarat]]. He founded the Gandhi Ashram in Zilia village in Patan district in Gujarat in 1964 for the economic and educational development of the rural population of Gujarat. Under the aegis of the Ashram, several educational institutions were established and several projects were implemented for the economic development of the population. He was a devout Gandhian and the Ashram was an instrument for Desai to popularize the Gandhian way of life among the general populace.<ref name="BM">{{cite web |title=About Us |url=http://bmmvzilia.org/Page.aspx?pageid=3 |website=B M Shah Maha Vidhyalaya |publisher=B M Shah Maha Vidhyalaya, Zilia, Patan, Gujarat |access-date=27 February 2022}}</ref>

Malji Bhai Desai is a politician affiliated to the [[Indian National Congress]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Maljibhai D Desai CHANASMA (Patan) |url=https://myneta.info/2007gujarat/candidate.php?candidate_id=718 |website=MyNeta |publisher=Association for Democratic Reforms |access-date=27 February 2022}}</ref> He was elected as a [[Member of the Legislative Assembly#India|Member of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly]] representing the [[Chanasma Assembly constituency|Chanasma]] constituency in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sitting and previous MLAs from Chanasma Assembly Constituency |url=https://www.elections.in/gujarat/assembly-constituencies/chanasma.html |website=Elections.in |access-date=27 February 2022}}</ref>

==Gandhi Ashram, Zilia==

In the year 1964, he along with Pratapbhai Chaudhary, Babubhai Shri Ratibhai Joshi and Prahladbhai Sheth founded the Gandhi Ashram Trust. Immediately after the formal registration of the Trust, Malji Bhai Desai started the activities of the Trust at a private residence. Later Zilia Gram Panchayat donated 56 acres of land to the Trust and the activities of the trust in the newly donated land began in 1965. Over the course of several decades, the Gandhi Ashram at Zilia established several institutions like Balwadis, Anganwadis, Primary Schools, residential schools, Buniyadi Vidyalayas (Uttar and Uchchatar), B M Shah Mahavidyalaya. The Ashram also undertook various activities like Adult Education Campaign, Sulabh Sauchalay Project, Cattle Camps, Primary Health Centres for Animals, Amber Kendras, Khadi Bhandars, etc.<ref name="BM"/>

==Recognition==

*In 2022, Govt of India conferred the [[Padma Shri]] award, the third highest award in the Padma series of awards, on Malji Bhai Desai for his distinguished service in the field of public affairs.<ref name="PadmaShri2022">{{cite web |title=Padma Awards 2022 |url=https://www.padmaawards.gov.in/padmaawardees2022.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125143803/https://www.padmaawards.gov.in/padmaawardees2022.pdf |archive-date=2022-01-25 |url-status=live|website=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India |access-date=11 February 2022}}</ref> The award is in recognition of his service as a "Gandhian and veteran political leader promoting Khadi and Gandhian thought through over five decades in public service".<ref name="PadmaShri2022Images">{{cite web |title=Padma Awards 2022 |url=https://www.padmaawards.gov.in/AwardeeTickets2022.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129172910/https://www.padmaawards.gov.in/AwardeeTickets2022.aspx |archive-date=2022-01-29 |url-status=live|website=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India |access-date=11 February 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Public Affairs}}

[[Category:Gandhians]]
[[Category:People from Gujarat]]
[[Category:People from Patan district]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Gujarat]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in public affairs]]

Maljibhai Desai - Revision history

Khalidmendi at 08:20, 15 August 2024