Dr. Jitendra Singh pays tribute to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on birth anniversary
Synopsis
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh marked the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on 25 September 2026, saluting the founding ideologue of Integral Humanism and Antyodaya whose philosophy underpins the BJP's core doctrine.
Key Takeaways
Jitendra Singh posted a tribute to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his birth anniversary, 25 September 2026 .
Upadhyaya, born in 1916 , articulated Integral Humanism ( Ekatma Manavvad ) and Antyodaya as pillars of Indian nationalist thought.
The Bharatiya Janata Party formally adopted Integral Humanism as its core philosophy at its founding in 1980 .
Antyodaya — 'rise of the last person' — places the welfare of the most marginalised at the centre of governance philosophy.
Annual tributes by senior ministers on 25 September reflect a deliberate institutional effort to link historical ideology to contemporary policy.
On the birth anniversary of one of independent India's most consequential political thinkers, Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh offered a reverential tribute on Friday, 25 September 2026 to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, hailing him as the architect of Integral Humanism and Antyodaya.
In his post, Dr. Singh wrote: 'एकात्म मानववाद और अंत्योदय के प्रणेता, प्रखर राष्ट्रवादी, हमारे प्रेरणास्रोत श्रद्धेय पं. दीनदयाल उपाध्याय जी की जयंती पर उन्हें कोटि-कोटि नमन।' — 'On the birth anniversary of the revered Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya, the originator of Integral Humanism and Antyodaya, a fervent nationalist and our source of inspiration, we bow to him in crores of salutations. His thoughts will always guide us on the path of nation-building.'
The thinker who shaped a party's soul
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, born in 1916, served as the principal ideologue of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and gave Indian conservative politics two of its most enduring intellectual anchors. Integral Humanism (Ekatma Manavvad) proposed a civilisational model of development rooted in Indian cultural values rather than imported Western ideologies. Antyodaya — literally 'rise of the last person' — placed the welfare of the most marginalised citizen at the centre of statecraft.
When the Bharatiya Janata Party was formally constituted in 1980, it explicitly adopted Integral Humanism as its core philosophy, cementing Upadhyaya's intellectual legacy as the ideological foundation of the organisation that would go on to govern India.
An annual ritual with a living policy echo
Senior Union ministers observing 25 September as a day of public commemoration is now an established annual pattern — a deliberate act of institutional memory that ties historical nationalist thought to present-day governance. The language of Antyodaya, in particular, continues to surface in welfare scheme naming, budget speeches, and party manifestos, making these tributes more than ceremonial.
For Dr. Singh, who holds charge of Science and Technology as well as Earth Sciences and serves as Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, invoking Upadhyaya's vision of nation-building carries an implicit argument: that scientific investment and grassroots welfare are two sides of the same civilisational project Upadhyaya envisioned.
Point of View
Reminding cadres and voters alike of the philosophical roots the party claims. By invoking both Integral Humanism and Antyodaya, Dr. Singh signals continuity between Upadhyaya's 1960s vision and current welfare-heavy governance priorities. The pairing of a Science Minister with this tribute is notable: it quietly frames technological development as an extension of civilisational self-reliance, not a departure from it. Watch for whether these phrases migrate into the next Union Budget or major scheme announcements as rhetorical touchstones.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya's birth anniversary?
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was born on 25 September 1916 , and his birth anniversary is observed every year on that date.
What is Integral Humanism (Ekatma Manavvad)?
Integral Humanism, or Ekatma Manavvad , is a political philosophy articulated by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya in the 1960s that proposes a model of national development rooted in Indian civilisational values rather than Western liberalism or Marxism. The BJP adopted it as its core philosophy in 1980 .
What does Antyodaya mean?
'Antyodaya' literally means 'rise of the last person' and is a principle that places the welfare of the most marginalised citizen at the centre of governance and policy-making, as envisioned by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
Who is Dr. Jitendra Singh and what ministry does he hold?
Dr. Jitendra Singh is a Union Minister holding independent charge of the Ministries of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, and also serves as Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Personnel.
What was Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya's role in Indian politics?
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was the principal ideologue of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the predecessor to the BJP. His philosophical writings on Integral Humanism and Antyodaya became the intellectual foundation of the Indian nationalist political movement.
