Antyodaya Diwas, an annual celebration held on September 25 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya — a prominent ideologue of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh. Pandit Deendayal was born on September 25, 1916, in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh.
Who was Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya?
He grew up in a Brahmin family, cared for by his maternal uncle. He attended high school in Sikar and completed his intermediate education in Pilani, Rajasthan, which is now known as Birla School, Pilani. He pursued a BA degree at Sanatan Dharma College in Kanpur. In 1939, he moved to Agra and enrolled at St. John's College with the intention of pursuing a master's degree in English literature, but he couldn't continue his studies.
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) began in 1937, when he was studying at Sanatan Dharma College. He got introduced to the RSS through a classmate. During this time, he had the opportunity to engage in intellectual discussions with the RSS founder, KB Hedgewar, at one of the gatherings.
In 1942, Upadhyaya decided to commit himself entirely to the RSS. He attended a 40-day summer camp in Nagpur, where he received training in Sangh education. After completing his second-year training in the RSS Education Wing, Upadhyaya became a lifelong pracharak (preacher) of the RSS.
He initially worked as the pracharak in UP’s Lakhimpur district and from 1955, served as the joint Prant Pracharak for Uttar Pradesh. His dedication to the RSS earned him the reputation of an exemplary swayamsevak because his ideas closely aligned with the core principles of the organisation.
In the 1940s, Upadhyaya initiated the publication of the monthly Rashtra Dharma in Lucknow. He used this platform to promote Hindutva ideology. Later on, he also started the weekly Panchjanya and the daily Swadesh, further advancing his ideological influence.
In 1951, when Syama Prasad Mukherjee established the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), Deendayal Upadhyaya was chosen by the RSS to work with the party and align it closely with the Sangh Parivar's principles. He started as the General Secretary of the BJS in Uttar Pradesh and later became the National General Secretary of the party. He held this role for a remarkable 15 years.
In December 1967, Upadhyaya was elected as the president of the BJS, marking a significant step in his political career. He died on February 11, 1968.
Why is Antyodaya Diwas celebrated?
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was an economist, journalist, philosopher and political activist. In 2014, Antyodaya Diwas gained national significance when
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated this day to honour Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his birth anniversary.
The term Antyodaya signifies lifting up the most impoverished individuals, and this day is dedicated to the goal of extending assistance to the very last person in society who needs it.
The essence of the Antyodaya Mission is to extend support to the most vulnerable individuals. The motto is to assist all the underprivileged and rural youth in India in finding job opportunities both nationally and internationally.
In 2014, on Antyodaya Diwas, the Ministry of Rural Development revamped its skill development program known as Aajeevika Skills into the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM). Later, in November 2015, it was renamed as Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-NRLM.
On this day, various activities are organised, including blood donation camps and seminars to promote the spirit of helping those in need.
(Edited by : Keshav Singh Chundawat)
