Why is Antyodaya Diwas Celebrated on Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s Birth Anniversary? History, Significance, and Quotes

Antyodaya Diwas is celebrated each year on September 25 in India to commemorate the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. He was one of India’s most significant political personalities and the co-founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) – the forerunner to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Upadhyaya was also one of the thinkers of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and a well-known philosopher who worked for the cause of the poor and needy. The word ‘Antyodaya’ means rising of the last and therefore, the day marks his efforts towards the upliftment of every member of the society.

Antyodaya Diwas History

Pandit Deendayal was born on September 25, 1916, in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi passed a bill in the Parliament in 2014 and declared the day a national holiday to mark the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal.

The same year, the Ministry of Rural Development relaunched a skill development programme under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), known as Aajeevika Skills.

It was later renamed as Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – NRLM in November 2015. In 2018, Mughalsarai Junction railway station was renamed Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction in the memory of the political leader. Pandit Deendayal passed away near Mughalsarai in1968.

Antyodaya Diwas 2024 Significance

The term ‘Antyodaya’ literally means the ‘upliftment of the last person’ and captures the essence of Upadhyaya’s idea of integral humanism where citizens must not be denied the necessities of life like food, shelter and job opportunities.

The day is aimed at raising awareness of social equality and taking steps to provide upliftment to the downtrodden sections of society.

On this day, the government organises events and lays policies to help the underprivileged.

Quotes by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya

1. “The fundamental characteristic of Bhartiya Culture is that it looks upon life as an integrated whole.”
2. “Human nature has both tendencies – Anger & Greed on the one hand and Love & Sacrifice on the other.”
3. “Independence can be meaningful only if it becomes an instrument for the expression of our Culture.”
4. “If we stop to analyse the reasons for the problems facing the country, we find that the confusion about our goal and direction is mainly responsible for this chaos.”
5. “Strength lies not in unrestrained behaviour but in well-regulated action.”
6. “Dharma is a very wide concept which concerns all aspects of life-sustaining society.”
7. “The principles of ethics are not framed by anyone, these are rather discovered.”
8. “Human Knowledge is a common property.”
9. “There is diversity and plurality in life but we have always attempted to discover the unity behind them.”
10. “When nature is channelled according to the principles of dharma, we have culture and civilisation.”