| Pandit Deendayal
Upadhyaya was born on September 25, 1916, in the sacred region
of Brij in the village of Nagla Chandraban in Mathura District
of Uttar Pradesh . An astrologer who studied his horoscope predicted
that the boy would become a great scholar and thinker, a selfless
worker, and a leading politician - but that he would not marry.
While at Bhatpur tragedy struck the family, he lost his brother
to illness in 1934. He later went to high school in Sikar. Maharaja
of Sikar gave Pandit Upadhyaya a gold medal, Rs. 250 for books
and a monthly scholarship of Rs.10.
Pandit Upadhyaya passed his Intermediate exams with distinction
in Pilani and left to Kanpur to pursue his B.A. and joined
the Sanatan Dharma college.
At the instance of his friend Shri. Balwant Mahashabde, he
joined the RSS in 1937. In 1937 he received his B.A. in the
first division. Pandit Upadhyaya moved to Agra to pursue M.A.
Here he joined forces with Shri. Nanaji Deshmukh and Shri.
Bhau Jugade for RSS activities. Around this time Rama Devi,
a cousin of Deendayalji felll ill and she moved to Agra for
treatment. She passed away. Deendayalji was very depressed
and could not take the M.A. exams. His scholarships, received
earlier from Maharajaj of Sikar and Shri. Birla were discontinued.
At the instance of his aunt he took a Government conducted
competitive examination in dhoti and kurta with a cap on his
head, while other candidates wore western suits. The candidates
in fun called him "Panditji" - an appellation millions
were to use with respect and love in later years. Again at
this exam he topped the list of selectees. Armed with his
Uncle's permission he moved to Prayag to pursue B.T. and at
Prayag he continued his RSS activites. After completion of
his B.T., he worked full-time for the RSS and moved to Lakhimpur
District in UP as an organizer and in 1955 became the Provincial
Organizer of the RSS in UP.
He established the publishing house 'Rashtra Dharma Prakashan'
in Lucknow and launched the monthly magazine 'Rashtra Dharma'
to propound the principles he held sacred. Later he launched
the weekly 'Panchjanya' and still later the daily 'Swadesh'.
Pandit Deendayalji convened on September 21, 1951 a political
convention of UP and founded the state unit of the new party,
Bharatiya Jana Sangh. Pandit. Deendayalji was the moving spirit
and Dr. Mookerjee presided over the first all-India convention
held on October 21, 1951.
Pandit Deendayalji's organizing skills were unmatched. Finally
came the red letter day in the annals of the Jana Sangh when
his utterly unassuming leader of the party was raised to the
high position of President in the year 1968. On assuming this
tremendous responsibility Deendayalji went to the South with
the message of Jana Sangh. On the dark night of February 11,
1968, Deendayal Upadhyaya was fiendishly pushed into the jaws
of sudden death
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