A century after his birth, Ashok Singhal — the man whose voice shaped one of modern India's most consequential religious movements — is being remembered by leaders across the political spectrum. BJP leader Smriti Irani on Sunday, September 27, 2026, honoured Singhal on his birth centenary, calling his life an 'inspiring chapter of unwavering resolve and dedication to the nation.'

From Ram Janmabhoomi to cultural awakening: Singhal's defining arc

In her tribute post, Irani wrote in Hindi: 'Vishwa Hindu Parishad ke poorv antarrashtriya adhyaksh shraddhey Ashok Singhal ji ka jeevan Ramjanmabhoomi andolan se lekar Bharatiya sanskriti evam Hindu samaj ke jagran tak avichal sankalp aur rashtrsaarpan ka prerak adhyaay raha hai' — 'The life of revered Ashok Singhal ji, former international president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, has been an inspiring chapter of unwavering resolve and national dedication, from the Ram Janmabhoomi movement to the awakening of Indian culture and Hindu society.'

She further wrote that his 'dedication, devotion, and resolve — from the cause of Ram to the cause of the nation — will forever remain a source of inspiration for crores of Ram devotees.' The post concluded with a tribute befitting a centenary: 'Shat-shat naman' — a hundredfold salute — to 'this protector of dharma and servant of the nation.'

Who was Ashok Singhal — and why the centenary carries weight

Ashok Singhal served as the international president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Hindu nationalist organisation founded in 1964 that became a central vehicle for religious and cultural mobilisation across India. It was under his leadership that the VHP launched and sustained the Ram Janmabhoomi campaign — the decades-long agitation to build a temple at Ayodhya, widely believed to be the birthplace of Lord Rama.

The movement gathered unprecedented mass momentum through the 1980s and 1990s, drawing millions of devotees into a political and spiritual current that would ultimately reshape Indian public life. The consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya in January 2024 was widely seen as the fulfilment of the campaign Singhal championed for most of his public life.

BJP leaders and the VHP ecosystem: a pattern of public remembrance

BJP leaders periodically mark the birth and death anniversaries of key VHP and RSS figures with public statements — a practice that reinforces the ideological continuity between the party and the broader Hindutva organisational network. Irani's centenary tribute fits squarely within that tradition, linking Singhal's life work to the living legacy of the Ayodhya temple.

With the birth centenary year of 2026 now underway, VHP programmes and commemorations are expected to follow in the coming weeks, though specific scheduling details remain to be announced officially.

A hundred years on, the movement Singhal spent a lifetime building has a temple to show for it — and today, his admirers are making sure that story is not quietly forgotten.