Deendayal Upadhyaya

Deendayal Upadhyaya (25 September 1916 – 11 February 1968) was an Indian politician and thinker, best known for his Integral Humanism ideology. He was a prominent leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), which is considered the ideological precursor to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Upadhyaya began his career as a full-time pracharak for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1942. In the 1940s, he launched the monthly publication 'Rashtra Dharma' to propagate Hindutva ideals. He played a crucial role in shaping the political doctrine of the Jan Sangh, drafting its official ideology of 'Integral Humanism'. This doctrine incorporated cultural nationalism with Gandhian socialist principles like sarvodaya (progress of all) and swadeshi (self-sufficiency). Upadhyaya also served as the General Secretary of the BJS for 15 years and was elected its President in December 1967. He passed away in February 1968, a month after assuming the party presidency.