In modern Indian history, who is regarded as having started and led the Sarvodaya Movement based on the ideal of welfare of all?

Introduction / Context:
The Sarvodaya Movement is an important strand of modern Indian socio political thought. The word Sarvodaya literally means welfare of all and reflects an attempt to translate Gandhian ideals into a broad based constructive programme for social and economic uplift, especially in rural India. This question tests whether you can correctly identify the person who actually started and organised the Sarvodaya Movement as a mass effort after independence.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Sarvodaya is connected with the Gandhian tradition of social reform and non violence.
• The movement is associated with post independence rural reconstruction and programmes like Bhoodan.
• Options include Vinoba Bhave, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, and Swami Vivekananda, all of whom are well known reformers or leaders.

Concept / Approach:
Although the word Sarvodaya was first used by Mahatma Gandhi as a title for his Gujarati translation of John Ruskin s work, the Sarvodaya Movement as a distinct organised campaign developed later. It was Vinoba Bhave, a close disciple of Gandhi, who launched the Bhoodan movement and then expanded it into a wider Sarvodaya programme. Therefore, we must distinguish between coining the term and starting the movement as a practical, sustained campaign.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Gandhi used the word Sarvodaya to mean upliftment of all sections of society. Step 2: Note that after independence Gandhi was assassinated in 1948, before he could lead any long term post colonial movement under this label. Step 3: Remember that Vinoba Bhave launched the Bhoodan Yajna in 1951, asking landowners to voluntarily donate land to the landless. Step 4: Understand that this Bhoodan initiative widened into the Gramdan and Sarvodaya campaigns under Vinoba s leadership, stressing non violent transformation of society. Step 5: Compare with Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Swami Vivekananda, who belonged to an earlier generation and could not have started this specific post independence movement. Step 6: Conclude that Vinoba Bhave is correctly described as the starter and organiser of the Sarvodaya Movement.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard works on Gandhian movements clearly state that Vinoba Bhave became the leader of Sarvodaya after Gandhi and that his tours for Bhoodan and Gramdan formed the core of this movement. This confirms that the organised Sarvodaya Movement was begun by him, not by the other personalities listed.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Mahatma Gandhi coined the term and provided the philosophy, but he did not practically start a distinct Sarvodaya Movement as a post independence programme. Bal Gangadhar Tilak worked in the pre Gandhian nationalist phase, focusing on political agitation. Swami Vivekananda was a spiritual and social reformer of the late nineteenth century and had no direct connection with Sarvodaya.

Common Pitfalls:
Many students quickly associate Sarvodaya with Gandhi and choose his name without noticing that the question asks who started the movement, not who coined the term or inspired the idea. To avoid this, always distinguish between philosophical origin and organisational leadership.

Final Answer:
The Sarvodaya Movement was started and led by Vinoba Bhave.