Bhoodan Pochampally (Yadadri-Bhongir): The Bhoodan Movement is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a special event called Bhoodan Vajrotsavam in Pochampally on Friday. This was announced by Yanala Prabhakar Reddy, the State Secretary of Gandhi Global Family.
The celebrations will begin with a peace ritual at the Vinoba Bhave Mandir. After that, people will place flower garlands on the statues of Acharya Vinoba Bhave and Veddire Ramachandra Reddy, the first person to donate land to the movement.
Awards will be given to Seetha Sriramulu, Tadaka Mutyalu, and Karagalla Narasimha during the event. Many key figures will attend, including local MLA Kumbham Anil Kumar Reddy, former Bhoodan Yagna Board Chairman Gunna Rajender Reddy, Telangana Agriculture Commission Chairman M Kodanda Reddy, and Supreme Court advocate P Niroop. The Sarvodaya Mandali will also organize special programs at the local tourism park, with participation from leaders like Chandan Pal and Shankar Nayak.
The Bhoodan Movement began on April 18, 1951, in Pochampally, when Veddire Ramachandra Reddy donated 100 acres of his land. This was a historic and rare act that brought international recognition to the village and sparked a major land reform movement across India.
The inspiration for the movement came when Acharya Vinoba Bhave, a follower of Mahatma Gandhi, was walking across the country spreading messages of peace and justice. On April 15, 1951, he spoke at a Sarvodaya meeting near Hyderabad. After learning about the poor living conditions in the Nalgonda district, he traveled on foot to Pochampally, arriving on April 17.
He stayed the night in Harijanawada, a small community, at a simple home that is now known as the Vinoba Bhave Temple. The next day, under a tree near a lake, Bhave asked if anyone would donate land to help the poor. Veddire Ramachandra Reddy stood up and offered 100 acres in memory of his father.
This generous act became the foundation of the Bhoodan Movement, which eventually led to the donation of 4.4 million acres of land to 400,000 landless families. The movement played a big role in reducing poverty and bringing land reforms to India.
Vinoba Bhave stayed closely connected to Pochampally, returning in 1956 for Gandhi’s memorial event. However, locals are disappointed that efforts to restore the Vinoba Bhave Temple and continue the annual celebrations have been delayed. They hope the 75th anniversary will reignite interest in keeping the movement’s legacy alive.
