What an admirable contrast! A simple pleasing humble personality who would get lost in a crowd was however a leader of deep conviction, strong commitment and steely resolve in pursuit of nationalistic causes. Yes, that was Pandit Deenadayal Upadhyaya.
Deenadayal was born on September 25, 1916 in a village named Dukiya in Rajasthan State. He lost his father when he was just 2½ years old. Further 5 years later, his mother also passed away. Thus, miseries came one after another. However, he was not bogged down. As we know, fire generally burns down a heap of straw. The same fire in the furnace makes the toughest steel. Deenadayal’s grit gets Teflon quoted.
Without parents, his studies continued in different towns supported by various relatives. Had to go to Sikar district of Rajasthan for further education. Here he took admission in the ninth grade in ‘Kalyan’ High School. He came here first in the tenth standard. He passed this examination in the year 1935 from Rajasthan Board. Due to his talent, the school and the board gave him two gold medals as a reward. Not only this, the Maharaja of Sikar, being pleased with his talent, gave him a cash prize of two hundred and fifty rupees and approved a monthly scholarship of ten rupees. For further education, he went to Birla College, Pilani. There he had to stay in the hostel. Here also he got the first position in the Inter examination. This time also two gold medals were awarded to him by the board and the school. Along with this, Seth Ghanshyam Das Birla gave a cash prize of two hundred and fifty rupees and a monthly scholarship of twenty rupees. His dedication and hard work propelled him to study further.
Deendayal ji reached Kanpur for his graduation. Here he did his B.A. Here again, he stayed in the hostel. Even after the hostel lights switched off as per the rules, he would continue to study with the support of hurricane light. His dedication and hard work once again got him the first rank in the college. For MA, he joined St. John’s College’ in Agra to study English literature. When he completed the first-year studies, yet another misery struck him. His paternal uncle’s daughter (step-sister) was admitted for treatment in a medical college in Agra. Deendayal voluntarily assumed the responsibility of attending to her. Even after continued medical care and his personal attention, she passed away. As he was overwhelmed with the grief, he could not focus in the final year and he left the MA studies incomplete. He quickly recovered, joined the Teacher training course, completed and got qualified as a teacher.
Right from his boyhood, he had imbibed the qualities such as honesty, ethics and discipline. Once, his mother had asked him to buy green leaves from the market which was nearly a kilo metre away from his house. He bought from an old woman and came home. That was in the morning. Late that evening only, it occurred to him that he had handed over to that old woman a five paise coin which was an invalid one. He ran back to the market, pestered the old woman who herself acquiesced him for the error, Deendayal would not rest he handed over her the valid coin. Thus was his honesty which had exhibited through out his life.
He had joined Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in his school days itself. His personal qualities coupled with Sangh training made him to acquire patriotism, commitment to serve the nation without any expectation of personal gains, team building and leadership skills. Immediately after his college days, he joined as full-time worker of RSS. After serving in different capacities, knowing about his linguistic skills in 1947 he was entrusted with the responsibility of establishing Rashtradharma Prakashan, a publishing house to voice the Sangh’s mission and ideals. He, along with Nanaji Deshmukh as Managing Director brought out three magazines “Rashtradharma (monthly)”, “Panchjanya (weekly)” and “Swadeshi (daily)” Deendayal ji used to take personal care in every aspect of the publications and administration.
Naturally, these publications played a significant role in taking forward the Sangha to younger generation which earned the wrath of Congress and Communists. Congress government decided to rein in the Sangh and the government banned these newspapers. Pt. Deendayal ji acted with alacrity. When the government imposed a ban on ‘Panchjanya’, he started publishing another newspaper named ‘Himalaya Patrika’. This newspaper also became popular. The government banned it too. Then he started publishing under the name ‘Deshbhakt’. The government did not understand what to do and stopped playing further mischief.
When Bharatiya Jan Sangh was formed by Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukerjee, Deendayalji was hand picked by Guruji and deputed to the new political party. When Jawaharlal Nehru was in the peak of popularity, a dedicated team of party workers ably led by Deendayalji and others valorously met every obstacle and came out successfully. The organization was growing gradually. Deendayalji groomed the then younger leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bairon Singh Shekawat and Lal Krishna Advani. They were all inspired by and emulated the abilities of Deendayalji in building rapport even with political rivals. At one point in time, Uttar Pradesh in a rainbow alliance, Jan Sangh and Communists were partners.
His remarkable contribution to our economical and political thought came in the form of Ekatva Manavadharma or Integral Humanism. It gave a third alternative deeply rooted in our Bharatiya ethos veering away from the then popular capitalism and communism. It underscored the need for a holistic approach to ensure an all-around – integrated development and well-being of the human being.
Year 1967 was a watershed moment in the post- independence history for many reasons. In that election, Congress had lost many State assemblies. One such was Tamil Nadu. Though fully aware of the ground swelling support of the grand alliance of DMK, Jan Sangh had decided to field its candidates in all the constituencies. Let us hear those days from former Pracharak Shri Ramamurthy who is nearing his 80s: “ At that time, I was Organising Secretary of Tiruchy district. In that election, we had fielded Sadhu Rangarajan (a trained disciple of Swami Chinmayananda who joined admiring the party’s commitment to serve Dharma and Desh) as our party’s candidate. Deenadayal ji had initially planned to visit only Chennai and Madurai. We persuaded Jana Krishnamurthy, State President to get a half day stop over at Tiruchy and we quickly arranged two-hour meeting in local Medical Association in Tillai Nagar. We contacted all the party members, professions, notable personalities and general public. On the day, the hall was overflowing and the audience including leading politicians like Kalivaradan (Tamizharasu Party), Dr. Kalamegam (Swatantra Party), traders, lawyers. Deendayalji spoke for around 40 minutes explaining the ideology, principles and programs of BJS. He appealed all the members to go and vote without fail and cast his or her vote whomsoever whom they feel would serve the public interest well. People were surprised that he did not speak a word seeking vote for his party’s candidate and they did not fail to appreciate his strong faith in the wisdom the citizens of this country. Such was Deendayalji’s trust about our country men that they would support the party when they understand our philosophies. The audience left fully convinced that BJS is the party of the future”
Ramamurthy ji further recalled that, “ before the meeting, Deendayalji reached Tiruchy in the morning, he was escorted to district president Subbiaji’s house for bathing and breakfast as per the practice of not staying in the hotels in those days. He had shower, washed his dresses himself and hung them for drying up in the backyard. By chance, I had to go by that side and to my utter shock found in his nine-yard dhoti, six or seven holes. Even now tears swell in my eyes. What a leader he was! When anybody would pour funds and showered all kinds of comforts if only, he had asked, this man never spoke about his wants and personal needs” (Ramamurthy ji’s voice choked when he recounted that moment with this columnist).
In December 1967, Deendayalji was elected as President in general body meeting conducted in Calicut. This annual convention had faced many hurdles by and threats from Communists. Jan Sangh, hitherto considered as a northern party, registered its presence in the southern states of the country. However, the jubilation did not last long. Within two months, on Feb 11, 1968 his stabbed body was found in between railway tracks closer to the Mogalsarai junction. The villains (and the force behind) who had executed that gruesome assassination still remains a mystery.
His life, speeches and writings continue to inspire all of us and on his janma dhin we rededicate ourselves to devote all our resources in the service of this country.
