Hathibhai’s wadi, Ahmedabad

Bhal Nal Kantha Prayogik Sangh established by Santbalji was awarded the sum of Rs.1,00,000(One Lac) by Darshak Foundation. The Founder trustees decided to utilize this amount in a fund to be created for furthering the ideals for which Santbalji stood and lived. So in co-operation with Vishwa Vatsalya Sangh, Mumbai which was also established by Santbalji, this foundation was established and a larger fund of Rs. 21 lacs was raised. It was decided to declare an award of Rs. One Lac. Every year to an institution or individual who has rendered yeoman services in reconstructing the social order on moral and ethical lines village reconstruction as envisaged by Santbalji.

A “Paramarsh Samiti” (A Consultative Committee) Constituted by respected intellectual leaders with inertial and objective outlook is being established every year to recommend the awardee for the year.

The Award for 2000 has been given to Banasthali Vidyapith
Consultative Committee Consist of :-

1. Justice Shri P. D. Desai
   (Retd. Chief justice of High Courts of Bombay, Calcutta and Himachal Pradesh, as the president.)
2. Justice N. B. Patel
   (Retd. Judge of the High Court of Gujarat, Member)
3. Shri Yasin Dala
   (Well known Journalist, thinker, Professor and Social Worker, Member)
4. Shri Indukumar Jani
   (Espouser of the cause of weaker sections of society and Editor of “Naya Marg”. Member)
5. Smt. Mehrubahen mehta
   (Professor and Social Worker, Member)

Banasthali Vidyapith (Rajasthan) Santbal Award

In recognition of your services in the field of all round education of women. Even the father of our nation Gandhiji said ‘Banasthali in enshrined in my heart.’ We also feel proud to recognize that the spread of such activity throughout India can soon bring us in the forefront of the community of nations.

SANTBAL AWARD – 2000

BANASTHALI VIDYAPITH

A place called “Banthali is situated in the intirior of Nivai Tehsil in the Tonk district of Rajasthan. On the outskirts of this village there was a piece of land which was considered to be a haunted place. This place was selected by Shri Hiralal shastri who, being inspired by Gandhiji’s teachings, left his job as the Home Secretary of the earstwhile princely state of Jaipur, and decided to start his activity of village reconstruction and khadi. His wife ‘Padmabhushan’ Smt. Ratanben fully supported him in his new advanture, and the couple started their work there, by constructing a small residence on that plot called “Jeevan Kutir”. This happened in 1929.

The couple continued this work upto 1935 when the death of their dear daughter Shanta took place at age of 12 years. Shanta was dreaming to establish a school and devote to her career in developing it. So, in her memory the couple thought of starting educational activity for girls. This was the turning point which gave birth to the magnitude of your institution which is to-day one of the principal educational institutions of the country devoted to the all round development of the female personality.

Your institution has adopted a five fold educational programme which looks after Physical, practical, aesthetic, moral and intellectual development of integrated and balanced personality of women.

You are, therefore, imparting such training to young girls rights from nursery to postgraduate and research stages on every subject which a woman is expected to know. Your emphasis on harmonious synthesis on spiritual and scientific values is condusive to a balanced personality which is full of promise for the bright future of our nation.

As early as 1945 your Pandit Nehru was so much impressed by your work that he said “If I had been a girl I would have come to Banasthali for my education”. Next year Gandhiji said “Banasthali is enshrined in my heart.”

In 1983 your institution was notified by the Govt. of India as “Deemed university” on the recommendation of University Grants Commission and since then you have been a premier institution for female education in India.

Thus your activity supplies a mile-stone in reconstructing our scocial order as desired by Jain Muni Shri Santbalji and hence our consultative committee has recommended this award for your institution and our trustees do feel great in accepting this recommendation.