Chunilal Vaidya

Chunibhai Vaidya(2 September 1917 – 19 December 2014), popularly calledChunikaka,was an Indian activist, author and aGandhianideologue fromGujarat,India.

Life

Chunibhai Vaidya was born on 2 September 1918 in a small village inPatan district,Gujarat. He was aGandhianand aSarvodayaveteran. He participated inIndian independence movementand later inVinoba Bhave'sBhoodan Movement.He worked for peace inAssamwhen violence broke out in 1960s. He was an editor ofBhumiputra.He opposed theEmergencyimposed byIndira Gandhiin 1975 and was imprisoned. He also founded Gujarat Lok Samiti, a voluntary organization, in 1980. During draught from 1986 to 1988 in Gujarat, he was involved in relief work and construction of check dams inPatan districtirrigating 12000 hectares of land. He was also critical of2002 Gujarat violence.

Vaidya wroteAssassination of Gandhi: Facts and Falsehoodwhich was translated and published in eleven languages.

He died on 19 December 2014 atAhmedabadaged 97. He was cremated at Dadhichi crematorium in Vadaj area of the city.

Awards

He received Sane Guruji Nirbhay Patrakarita Award for his journalism. He also received Vishva Gujarati Pratibha award by Vishva Gujarati Samaj.He was awarded theJamnalal Bajaj Awardin 2010.