Deendayal Research Institute (DRI) was founded in 1972 by Nanaji Deshmukh to validate the philosophy of Integral Humanism propounded by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya (1916-1968). Integral Humanism gives us a vision for India that, with an approach to man and his relationship to society that is integral and complementary, could transform India into a self-reliant and compassionate example for the world to follow.

Nanaji Deshmukh quit active politics in 1978 to develop a model for the development of rural areas on the basis of Integral Humanism. After initial experiments in Gonda (U.P.) and Beed (Maharashtra), Nanaji finally fine-tuned an integrated program for the development of rural areas that covers health, hygiene, education, agriculture, income generation, conservation of resources, and social conscience, that is both sustainable and replicable. The basis of the project is 'Total transformation through total development with people's initiative and participation'.

The project, called the Chitrakoot Project or the 'Campaign for Self-Reliance', was launched on 26th January 2005 in 80 villages around the Chitrakoot area in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The aim is to achieve self reliance for these villages by 2005. When complete in 2010, the project hopes to make the 500 villages surrounding self-reliant and serve as a sustainable and replicable model for the India and the world.