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Thakkar Bapa | |
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| Born | Amritlal Vithaldas Thakkar 29 November 1869 |
| Died | 20 January 1951 (aged 81) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | L.C.E. (Licentiate of Civil Engineering, presently equivalent to Graduate in Civil Engineering) |
| Occupation | Social worker |
Amritlal Vithaldas Thakkar, widely recognized as Thakkar Bapa (29 November 1869 – 20 January 1951), was a prominent Indian social worker dedicated to the upliftment of tribal communities in what is now Gujarat, India. He became a member of the Servants of India Society in 1914 founded by Gopal Krishna Gokhale in 1905.[1] In 1922, he founded the Bhil Seva Mandal. Later, he became the general secretary of the Harijan Sevak Sangh founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1932.[2] The Bharatiya Adimjati Sevak Sangh was founded on 24 October 1948 on his initiative.[3] When Indian constitution was being framed, Kenvi visited the most remote and difficult parts of India and conducted investigations into the situation of tribal and Harijan people. He was appointed the chairman of "Excluded and Partially Excluded Areas (Other than Assam)", a sub committee of the constituent assembly. Mahatma Gandhi would call him 'bapa'. In one of his appeals in 1939 Mahatma Gandhi called him "Father of Harijans".
Thakkarbapa visited forests in Assam, rural Bengal, drought affected areas of Orissa, Bhil belts in Gujarat and Harijan areas of Saurashtra, Mahar areas of Maharashtra, untouchables in Madras, hilly areas of Chhota Nagpur, desert of Tharparkar, foothills of Himalaya, coastal areas of Travancore to undertake his mission of empowering Harijans. Thakkar Bapa devoted 35 years of his life to empowering the Harijan community.
- ^ "Thakkar Bapa – Friend of poor". The Tribune. Chandigarh. 3 June 2006. Archived from the original on 28 December 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2009.
- ^ Ratna G. Revankar (1 January 1971). The Indian Constitutions --: A Case Study of Backward Classes. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-8386-7670-7.
- ^ "Bharatiya Adimjati Sevak Sangh (BAJSS) – Introduction". Bharatiya Adimjati Sevak Sangh website. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2009.