Born: 25 February 1884
Died: 1 July 1984
Shri Ravishankar Vyas, also known as Ravishankar Maharaj, was born on 25 February 1884, in Radhu village on the special occasion of Mahashivaratri. He was born to Pitambar Sivram Vyas and Nathiba in a Vadara Brahmin peasant family who were natives of Sarsavani village. Ravishankar Maharaj was popularly known as a social worker, Gandhian and an Independence activist from Gujarat. After the sixth standard, Ravishankar dropped out of his studies to do agriculture work and help his parents. He was just 19 when his father passed away and his mother died when he was 21.
The Arya Samaj philosophy had a great impact on Ravishankar. In 1915 after meeting Mahatma Gandhi he joined the Independence and Social Activism. He was one of the earliest and adjacent fellow workers of Gandhi Ji and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and the chief organizer of nationalist revolts in Gujarat.

SIn 1920, he established a National School in Sunav village named “Rashtriya Shala”. In 1921, he joined the Independence Movement against the wish of his wife and left his rights on ancestral property. In 1923, he protested against Haidiya Tax and also participated in Borsad Satyagraha. Being a member of Bardoli Satyagraha in 1928 he was imprisoned for six months by the British. He took part in relief work of flood during 1927 and that earned him recognition. Ravishankar was imprisoned for two years after joining Gandhi Ji’s Salt March during the 1930s. After independence (1947), he dedicated himself to social work. In the 1960s, he organised and supported the Sarvodaya Movement. In 1960 when Gujarat has created the inauguration of the State (Gujarat) was done by Ravishankar Maharaj on 1 May 1960. Every newly appointed Chief Minister of Gujarat after taking the oath of office visited him for his blessings and there it became a tradition until his death. Shri Ravishankar Maharaj took his last breath on 1 July 1984 in Borsad, Gujarat. His memorial is at Adhyapan Mandir, Bochasan.
n his honour, the Government of India released a postal stamp in 1984, Ravishankar Maharaj Award for social work, is initiated by the Department of Social Justice, Government of Gujarat.
Based on the experiences of social work among tribals with Ravishankar Maharaj, Jhaverchand Meghani has written his biography “Manasai Na Diva”, another biographical novel “Jene Jivi Janyu” (1984) has also written by Pannalal Patel.