Smriti Irani pays tribute to Deendayal Upadhyay on birth anniversary
Synopsis
BJP senior leader Smriti Irani marked Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay's birth anniversary on 25 September 2026, honouring his twin philosophies of Integral Humanism and Antyodaya as foundational guides for national progress and the welfare of society's most marginalised.
Key Takeaways
BJP leader Smriti Irani paid tribute to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay on his birth anniversary, 25 September 2026 .
Upadhyay is the originator of 'Ekatma Manavvad' (Integral Humanism) and 'Antyodaya', two frameworks central to BJP ideology.
Antyodaya holds the welfare of the last and most marginalised person as the true measure of national progress.
The BJP , formed in 1980 , formally adopted Antyodaya as a cornerstone of its welfare approach.
Irani described Upadhyay's thought as a 'guiding light for the all-round upliftment of the nation and society.'
On the birth anniversary of one of India's most influential ideologues, BJP leader Smriti Irani on Friday, 25 September 2026 paid tribute to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, the architect of 'Ekatma Manavvad' (Integral Humanism) and 'Antyodaya' — philosophies that placed the last person in society at the very centre of national progress.
In her post on X, Irani wrote: 'एकात्म मानववाद' और 'अंत्योदय' के प्रणेता श्रद्धेय पंडित दीनदयाल उपाध्याय जी का चिंतन राष्ट्र एवं समाज के सर्वांगीण उत्थान का पथप्रदर्शक रहा है — 'The thought of revered Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay ji, the originator of Integral Humanism and Antyodaya, has been a guiding light for the all-round upliftment of the nation and society.' She added that his philosophy — which holds the welfare of the person standing in the last row as the very foundation of national progress — continues to inspire the direction of public welfare today.
Deendayal Upadhyay's enduring ideological legacy
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay was the pre-eminent ideologue of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the intellectual force behind two concepts that remain foundational to right-of-centre politics in India. 'Ekatma Manavvad', or Integral Humanism, proposed a civilisational framework that rejected both Western capitalism and Marxist collectivism in favour of a holistic, culturally rooted model of human development. 'Antyodaya' — literally 'rise of the last person' — demanded that national progress be measured not by aggregate prosperity but by the condition of the most marginalised.
These were not abstract ideals. The Bharatiya Janata Party, formed in 1980, explicitly adopted Antyodaya as a cornerstone of its welfare ideology, and successive governments have invoked the principle when framing last-mile delivery schemes. The birth anniversary of Upadhyay — born 25 September 1916 — is observed each year as a moment for the party to restate that ideological commitment.
Why the anniversary carries weight beyond ceremonial tribute
BJP leaders across ranks mark this date with tributes that are rarely just ceremonial — they serve as public restatements of the party's founding philosophy. The emphasis on the 'last person in the queue' functions as a political signal: that the party's welfare agenda flows from a coherent ideological source, not electoral expediency.
Irani, a senior leader who has held portfolios including Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs, carries particular weight in articulating that connect between philosophy and social policy. Her tribute is one among many from the party today, but the language she chose — 'राष्ट्रप्रगति का आधार' ('the foundation of national progress') — underlines how deeply the Antyodaya framework is woven into the BJP's self-definition.
Integral Humanism and Antyodaya remain live reference points in Indian political discourse, and every September 25 renews the conversation about whether the ideological promise has translated into measurable reality for those at the margins.
Point of View
Invoking Antyodaya connects her public record on social policy to a deeper philosophical lineage the party claims as its own. The ritual consistency of these tributes also points to a longer game: keeping Upadhyay's legacy visible as a counterweight to criticism that the party has drifted from its grassroots moorings. As elections cycle through states and the Centre, expect references to Integral Humanism and Antyodaya to intensify whenever the BJP needs to anchor its welfare narrative in something more durable than a scheme name.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay?
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay was the foremost ideologue of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the originator of 'Integral Humanism' (Ekatma Manavvad) and 'Antyodaya', philosophies centred on holistic national development and the upliftment of the most marginalised. He was born on 25 September 1916.
What is Antyodaya philosophy?
Antyodaya — meaning 'rise of the last person' — is the principle that national progress must be judged by the welfare of the poorest and most marginalised member of society, not by aggregate prosperity. It has been a stated ideological pillar of the BJP since the party's formation in 1980.
What is Ekatma Manavvad or Integral Humanism?
Ekatma Manavvad, or Integral Humanism, is a political philosophy articulated by Deendayal Upadhyay that proposes a culturally rooted, holistic model of human and national development, distinct from both Western capitalism and Marxist collectivism.
Why do BJP leaders pay tribute to Deendayal Upadhyay on 25 September?
25 September is Deendayal Upadhyay's birth anniversary. The BJP considers him a founding ideological father, and party leaders mark the day each year to reaffirm their commitment to his philosophies of Integral Humanism and Antyodaya.
What did Smriti Irani say about Deendayal Upadhyay?
Smriti Irani described Upadhyay's thought as a guiding light for the all-round upliftment of the nation and society, saying his philosophy of placing the welfare of the last person as the foundation of national progress continues to inspire public welfare efforts today.
