Pradhan pays tribute to Ashok Singhal at VHP centenary in Sambalpur
Synopsis
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the birth centenary celebrations of VHP former international president Ashok Singhal in Sambalpur, Odisha, honouring the Ram Janmabhoomi movement leader on what would have been his 100th birth anniversary.
Key Takeaways
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan attended the inaugural birth centenary ceremony of Ashok Singhal in Sambalpur, Odisha on 27 September 2026 .
The event was organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Odisha (West) under the hashtag #100YearsOfAshokJi .
Ashok Singhal was the former international president of the VHP and a central figure in the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi movement .
The VHP was founded in 1964 and has been a key organisation in Hindu nationalist cultural and religious campaigns.
Centenary events for Singhal are expected to continue across other Indian states through 2026 .
A hundred years after the birth of one of modern India's most consequential Hindu nationalist figures, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan travelled to Sambalpur, Odisha, on Sunday, 27 September 2026, to inaugurate the centenary celebrations of Ashok Singhal — the man who more than any other individual shaped the Ram Janmabhoomi movement into a mass mobilisation.
Posting in Odia, Pradhan wrote that he was 'fortunate to attend the inaugural ceremony of the birth centenary of revered Ashok Singhal Ji, organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Odisha (West) in Sambalpur.' He paid tribute to Singhal as the 'pioneer of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi movement and former international president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad,' adding that 'his service and dedication will forever remain immortal in the hearts of all Sanathanis.' The event carried the hashtag #100YearsOfAshokJi.Who was Ashok Singhal — and why the centenary matters
Ashok Singhal, born in 1926, rose to lead the Vishwa Hindu Parishad as its international president and became the driving organisational force behind the Ram Janmabhoomi agitation that ultimately culminated — decades after his passing — in the consecration of the Ram temple at Ayodhya. The VHP, founded in 1964, positioned itself as a cultural and religious umbrella for Hindu communities globally, and Singhal's decades at its helm defined much of its public identity. His centenary year falls at a moment when that movement has completed its defining political arc.Pradhan in Sambalpur: a homecoming with ideological weight
For Pradhan, the Sambalpur event carries a particular resonance. A senior BJP leader from Odisha and a long-standing Sangh Parivar ally, his presence at a VHP-organised function in western Odisha reflects a consistent pattern of BJP leadership engaging with Hindu nationalist commemorative platforms. The western Odisha town of Sambalpur is also politically significant for the party as it consolidates its hold across the state. Participating in the centenary's inaugural ceremony — rather than a later, smaller event — signals the importance the BJP attaches to Singhal's legacy in this political moment. Centenary events for Singhal are expected to continue in other states through 2026, making this Sambalpur programme the opening chapter of a year-long commemorative arc for the VHP.Point of View
Lending state-level legitimacy to VHP milestones. With the Ram temple at Ayodhya now consecrated, the centenary of Singhal — the movement's chief organiser — allows the BJP to retrospectively credit grassroots Hindu nationalist mobilisation as a foundation of that outcome. For Pradhan specifically, the Odisha setting reinforces his positioning as the party's primary face in the state, ahead of what are likely to be consequential electoral and organisational pushes. The centenary tour across states through 2026 will serve as a rolling reminder of that ideological lineage.
NationPress
28 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Ashok Singhal?
Ashok Singhal was the former international president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and one of the most prominent leaders of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi movement in India. His centenary falls in 2026.
What is the Vishwa Hindu Parishad?
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is a Hindu nationalist organisation founded in 1964. It has been involved in major cultural and religious campaigns, most notably the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
Why did Dharmendra Pradhan attend the Ashok Singhal centenary event?
Pradhan attended as part of the inaugural ceremony of Singhal's birth centenary celebrations organised by VHP Odisha (West) in Sambalpur, paying tribute to Singhal's legacy in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
Where was the Ashok Singhal centenary event held?
The inauguration of the birth centenary celebrations was held in Sambalpur, Odisha, organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad Odisha (West).
Will there be more Ashok Singhal centenary events in 2026?
Yes, centenary events for Ashok Singhal are expected to be held in multiple states across India throughout 2026 as part of the year-long commemorations.
