Indulal Yagnik

Indulal Yagnik
Statue in garden near Nehru Bridge, Ahmedabad
Native name	ઈન્દુલાલ યાજ્ઞિક
Born	(1892-02-22)22 February 1892 Nadiad, Kheda, Gujarat
Died	17 July 1972(1972-07-17) (aged 80) Ahmedabad
Monuments	Statue in garden at east end of Nehru Bridge, Ahmedabad
Other names	Induchacha
Education	B.A.,LL.B.
Alma mater	Gujarat College, Ahmedabad; St. Xavier's College, Mumbai
Occupation	Independence activist, politician, separatist, writer, editor, film maker
Years active	1915–1972
Employer	Bombay Samachar
Organization	Gujarat Kisan Parishad, Mahagujarat Janata Parishad, Nutan Mahagujarat Janata Parishad
Known for	leading Mahagujarat Movement
Notable work	Autobiography Atmakatha (Gujarati: આત્મકથા)
Parent(s)	Kanaiyalal Yagnik (Gujarati: કનૈયાલાલ યાજ્ઞિક)

Indulal Kanaiyalal Yagnik (Gujarati: ઈન્દુલાલ કનૈયાલાલ યાજ્ઞિક) (22 February 1892 – 17 July 1972) was an Indian independence activist, a leader of the All India Kisan Sabha and one who lead Mahagujarat Movement, which spearheaded the demand for the separate statehood for Gujarat on 8 August 1956. He is also known as Indu Chacha. He was writer and film maker also.

Yagnik was elected to the 2nd Lok Sabha from Ahmedabad constituency in the erstwhile Bombay state in 1957. He was re-elected to the 3rd, 4th and 5th Lok Sabha from the same constituency from 1962–1972.

Yagnik was born at Jhagadia Pol in Nadiad, Kheda, Gujarat. His father Kanaiyalal died at a young age while studying. Yagnik completed his primary and secondary education in Nadiad and after passing the matriculation examination in 1906, he joined the Gujarat College in Ahmedabad. After passing the intermediate examination, he took admission to the St. Xavier's College, Bombay and passed his B.A. examination from there. In 1912, he passed his L.L.B. examination.

Yagnik was deeply influenced by Annie Besant during his college days. In 1915, along with Jamnadas Dwarkadas and Shankerlal Banker, he published an English language magazine, Young India from Bombay. In the same year, publication of a Gujarati monthly Navjivan ane Satya started and Yagnik was its editor till 1919, when he handed it over to Mahatma Gandhi. He wrote the first 30 chapters of Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography in Yeravada jail after taking dictation from him. He joined the Servants of India Society in the same year but resigned in 1917 and joined the Home Rule Movement. In 1918, he participated in the Kheda Satyagraha led by Gandhi. In 1921 he became the secretary of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee. In October 1922 he started another Gujarati monthly, Yugadharm. He was imprisoned by the British from April 1923 to March 1924. From 1924–28, he was the editor of Hindustan, a Gujarati daily from Bombay. During 1926–27, he was also an assistant editor of the Bombay Chronicle. He travelled a number of countries in Europe from 1930–35.