The correct option is Vinoba Bhave.
Explanation
The Bhoodan-Gramdan movement was a voluntary land reform movement in post-independence India aimed at persuading wealthy landowners to voluntarily donate a percentage of their land to the landless. It attempted to bring about institutional changes in the agrarian structure through non-violent means.
Detailed Analysis
- Vinoba Bhave: Regarded as the spiritual heir of Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave initiated the Bhoodan (Land Gift) movement. The movement began on April 18, 1951, at Pochampally village in Telangana (then Andhra Pradesh). It is famously referred to as the "Blood-less Revolution" because it sought to solve the problem of land concentration without state coercion or violent uprising.
- Shri Ram Chandra Reddy: While he is historically significant to the movement, he was not the initiator. He was the first landlord to stand up and offer 80 acres of land to be distributed among 80 landless villagers during Vinoba Bhave’s lecture at Pochampally. This act triggered the formal inception of the movement.
- Mahatma Gandhi: Although the movement was based on Gandhian principles of Sarvodaya and Gram Swaraj, it was launched after his death by Vinoba Bhave.
- Jawaharlal Nehru: While the government supported land reforms through legislation, the Bhoodan movement was a distinct, non-governmental initiative led by Bhave.
Key Takeaway
Vinoba Bhave initiated the Bhoodan-Gramdan movement in 1951 to encourage the voluntary redistribution of land to the landless, marking a significant attempt at non-violent agrarian reform.