Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay : Biography of india's Great Person ( Birth, Education and Contribution) 2024.

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Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay: An Introduction

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay was a unique face in India. His thoughts and actions attracted people towards him, creating a sense of admiration and respect. He crafted an aura of attraction wherever he went, thus achieving a distinct position. He was a prominent politician, serving as the President of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, a major political party known today as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). After India’s independence, he redefined democracy and contributed significantly to the nation’s development, leaving a lasting legacy. Deendayal’s life was a testament to resilience and struggle, serving as an exemplar for society.

Birth and Early Life:

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay was born on September 25, 1916, in Dhankia near the Jaipur-Ajmer railway line in Rajasthan. His father, Bhagwati Prasad Upadhyay, and mother, Ram Pyari, belonged to the village of Nagla Chandrabhan in Farah, Mathura. They were part of a middle-class family. His grandfather, Pandit Hariram Upadhyay, was a renowned astrologer. His father worked as an assistant station master in Jalesar, and his mother adhered to religious customs. Additionally, he had a younger brother, Shivdayal. Sadly, his father passed away in 1918 when Deendayal was just two and a half years old, leaving the family in financial distress. Deendayal’s maternal grandfather then took care of them. Later, due to his mother’s illness, both Deendayal and his brother became orphans. However, they were well cared for by their maternal uncle. Deendayal shared a special bond with his brother Shivdayal, whom he took care of as a guardian. Unfortunately, Shivdayal succumbed to a severe illness on November 18, 1934. This left Deendayal feeling lonely and despondent as he had no family left.

Education and Struggles:

Despite facing numerous hardships from a young age, Deendayal was intelligent and ambitious. He excelled in academics, winning several awards and accolades during his school and college years. Maharaja Kalyan Singh awarded him Rs. 2.50 and a monthly stipend of Rs. 10 for his academic achievements. He pursued his education at G.D. Birla College in Pilani, where he obtained his Intermediate degree with distinction. He then enrolled at Kanpur University’s Sanatan Dharma College, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) with first-class honors. Subsequently, he decided to pursue a Master’s degree in English literature and went to Agra for further studies. However, due to his niece’s sudden illness, he had to abandon his postgraduate studies midway. During this time, his sister also passed away. Despite clearing the Civil Services Examination, he chose not to pursue a government job. His inclination towards serving the common people outweighed all other aspirations, leading him to a life devoted to public service.

Social Contribution:

Since childhood, Deendayal Ji had acquired the values of dedication to social service. In 1937, when he passed his BA examination in first class and entered MA, he joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh through his friend Balvant Mahashabde. At that time, another companion, Sundar Singh Bhandari, also joined the Sangh with him. He met the founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, K.B. Hedgewar, and decided to fully dedicate himself to the organization. From 1942, he started working full time with the Sangh. He participated in a 40-day RSS camp in Nagpur for Sangh education and then became its propagator. In 1955, he started working in the Lakhimpur district of Uttar Pradesh as a propagator. The establishment of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh was done by Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee in 1951, in which Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Ji was initially the General Secretary of the Uttar Pradesh branch and later appointed as the All India General Secretary. Dr. Shyama Prasad Ji was so influenced by him that he said, “If I had two Deendayals, I would change the political face of India.” However, due to the death of Dr. Shyama Prasad Ji in 1953, the entire responsibility of this organization fell on Deendayal Ji. He remained associated with this party for 15 years and strengthened it, making it a strong political party in India, after which he was appointed as the president of this party. After that, he stood for the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, but failed to attract people towards him and lost in this election. Currently, this Bharatiya Jan Sangh is known as the Bharatiya Janata Party. Deendayal Ji was also a thinker. He wanted to promote and develop the country based on its rich culture and wanted to eliminate the Western concepts left by the British. Democracy was established immediately after independence in India, but Deendayal Ji was somewhat concerned about India after these years of slavery. He was clear that the achievement of democracy in India is not due to the British. He changed people’s thinking that democracy is not only to make people slaves and exploit them, but also to solve the problems of the workers.

He said that they want to present their problems to the government and want their solution. According to him, every person has the full right to express his viewpoint. Every person should be respected and included in governance. Due to this ideology, he gave a different definition of democracy in the country. Deendayal Ji promoted humanism more. He expressed humanism in his unique definition. He said, “Man is not just a body, but also a mind, intellect, and soul. Without this, the human body has no meaning.” He also said that independent India should not depend on Western concepts such as democracy, individualism, socialism, capitalism, etc. Because they hinder the development and expansion of Indian thinking. This cannot lead to the development of the country. Due to his social service and reforms, he was declared the president of the Jan Sangh Party. Upadhyay Ji was an all-rounder politician, but he remained active for only 43 days in this post.

Death:

He could only remain active as the president of the Jan Sangh Party for only 43 days because on the 44th day, i.e., the morning of 11 February 1968, he was found dead near the Mughalsarai Railway Station. It is said that Deendayal Ji had left for Patna for the budget session. After that, his bogie got separated from the train at Mughalsarai station. Thieves attacked his train, and there is suspicion of his death, but this is only an estimate. The mystery of his death is still unresolved. On February 12, then President of India, Dr. Zakir Husain, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and Morarji Desai paid homage to him along with other prominent leaders. On that day, all offices and shops were closed in Delhi. The residents had set out to pay homage to their great leader on Rajendra Prasad Marg. In 2016, the BJP government named several public institutions after him. There is also a road named after him in Delhi. Not only this, but the government has also started many schemes in his name. In August 2017, the BJP state government in Uttar Pradesh proposed to rename the Mughalsarai station as Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay station, as his body was found near that station. However, this was met with considerable opposition, with the Samajwadi Party stating that the station’s name should not be changed because Deendayal Ji had no contribution to the freedom struggle. In addition to this, questions have also been raised about Upadhyay Ji and his work at the Deendayal Research Institute.