Kanhaiyalal Maneklal Munshi[2] (pronounced [kə.nəi.ya.lal ma.ɳek.lal mun.ʃi]; 30 December 1887 – 8 February 1971), popularly known by his pen name Ghanshyam Vyas, was an Indian independence movement activist, politician, writer from Gujarat state.

Munshi was born on 30 December 1887 at Bharuch, a town in Gujarat State of British India in a Bhargav Brahmin family.

In 1907, by scoring maximum marks in the English language, he received 'Elite prize' along with degree of Bachelor of Arts.

Munshi was also influenced by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Bhulabhai Desai.

[9] Due to influence of Aurobindo, Munshi leaned towards revolutionary group and get himself involved into the process of bomb-making.

Munshi became the main driving force behind the renovation of the Somnath temple even after Jawaharlal Nehru's opposition.

[15][16][17] Munshi was appointed diplomatic envoy and trade agent (Agent-General) to the princely state of Hyderabad, where he served until its accession to India in 1948.

He initiated the Van Mahotsav in 1950, when he was Union Minister of Food and Agriculture, to increase area under forest cover.

[10] In 1959, Munshi separated from the Nehru-dominated (socialist) Congress Party and started the Akhand Hindustan movement.

He believed in a strong opposition, so along with Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, he founded the Swatantra Party, which was right-wing in its politics, pro-business, pro-free market economy and private property rights.

On 7 November 1938, he established Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan with Harshidbhai Divatia and his wife Lilavati Munshi at Andheri, Bombay.

He was elected Fellow of the University of Bombay, where he was responsible for giving adequate representation to regional languages.

[21][22] As a result, for the first time in human history, a World Constituent Assembly convened to draft and adopt the Constitution for the Federation of Earth.

[23] Munshi, with pen name Ghanshyam Vyas, was a prolific writer in Gujarati and English, earning a reputation as one of Gujarat's greatest literary figures.