Persons

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, born in 1916 in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, was a social thinker, economist, sociologist, historian, and journalist. He played a significant role in the formation of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and became the President of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (present-day Bharatiya Janata Party). Upadhyay was against Western secularism and Western democracy in India during British rule. His family faced hardships, including the death of his father and maternal grandfather, and his brother’s smallpox. Despite these challenges, Upadhyay continued to serve society and earned numerous gold medals and prestigious awards. In 1937, he joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and was appointed as its first Secretary-General. He served as general secretary of Jana Sangh until 1953, when he was elected president. Upadhyay was also a great writer and journalist, working in the monthly magazine “Rashtradharama” and starting newspapers like “Panchjanya” and “Swadesh.” His literary works include “Samrat Chandragupta,” “Jagatguru Shankaracharya,” and “Akhand Bharat kyon hai.”