Gujarat Vidyapith

Gujarat Vidyapith is an institution that was founded by Mahatma Gandhi. It has academic buildings, library, hostels, sports facilities and a tribal museum.

Gujarat Vidyapith was established by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920. The objective of the university was to create the model of an institution independent of British influences. He wanted his Vidyapith to prepare the youths for the task of national reconstruction and usher in 'Hind Swaraj', the India of his dream.

Professor A. T. Gidwani was its founder vice-chancellor. After Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Morarji Desai were among the chancellors of the Vidyapith.

The Vidyapith stopped functioning temporarily during the civil disobedience movements of 1930 to 1935 and the Quit India Movement from 1942 to 1945. During both periods, the staff members and students participated in the independence struggle.

Over the decades, many colleges have been built in the Vidyapith. Today, Gujarat Vidyapith is considered as one of the national universities which holds a charter from the Government of India and believes in promoting Gandhiji's ideology of service-oriented education.

The Vidyapith has a large campus with many buildings. The hostel is one of the finest of the buildings with a tree-filled courtyard, Corinthian capitals over columns and gated entrances.

The tribal museum is located in the Tribal Research and Training Institute which was founded in 1962. The museum showcases the life among different tribal groups of Gujarat through dioramas, artefacts, utensils, masks, informative panels, tools, agriculture implements and photographs.