Deendayal Upadhyaya: A Profile

Early Life & Education

• Born: 1916, Nagla Chandraban (now Deendayal Dham), Mathura, UP.
• Orphaned at 8; raised by uncle.
• Studied at Sanatan Dharma College (Kanpur) and St. John’s College (Agra) – did not complete MA.

Association with RSS

• Introduced to RSS in 1937; influenced by K.B. Hedgewar.
• Became a lifelong Pracharak by 1942.
• Trained through various RSS camps.

Political Career – BJS

• Co-founder & ideological architect of Bhartiya Jan Sangh (BJS) in 1951 with Syama Prasad Mookerjee.
• General Secretary of UP unit for 15 years.
• Became President of BJS in 1967.
• Advocated for Samyukta Vidhayak Dal (non-Congress coalition).
• Died mysteriously in 1968 near Mughalsarai (now renamed after him).

Major Works

• Rashtra Jivan ki Samasyaen (1960)
• Ekatma Manavvad / Integral Humanism (1965)
• Rashtra Jivan ki Disha (1971)
• Political Diary (1968)

Key Political Ideas

1. Integral Humanism (Ekatma Manavvad)

• Adopted by BJS in 1965; later carried by BJP.
• Emphasizes holistic development: Body, Mind, Intellect, and Soul.
• Advocates synthesis of material and spiritual growth.
• Inspired by Purusharthas: Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha.
• Critiques Western materialism.

2. Nationalism

• Rejected Western territorial nationalism.
• Nation = Cultural and spiritual unity, not just geography.
• Love for the motherland is central.
• Criticized French Revolution-based nationalism as inadequate.

3. Cultural Nationalism

• Hindu culture is the national culture.
• Other religions must assimilate into this cultural stream.
• Muslims/Christians must adopt Bhartiya (Hindu) culture for national integration.
• Controversially argued Muslims cannot be a natural part of Indian nationhood unless they align culturally.