It's surprising to hear. But it's true. We haven’t yet heard about it but am sure we all would feel proud to take a note of this. We have one more proud to be a BITSian. Infact, I would say that he is the greatest BITSian BITS has ever produced. Shri Pandit Deendayal Upadyay, the founder of BJP and one of the greatest and a rare ideal politician in Indian politics has not only studied at the then Birla college at Pilani which is later got converted to BITS Pilani, but he has also received a Gold Medal from the college. None other than the founder of BITS, Padma Vibhushan Late Shri G D Birla has awarded him a gold medal and Rs 250 cash prize along with Rs 10 per month as scholarship.
I heard from many politicians from BJP and from renowned personalities that Pandit Deendayal Upadyay is a great politician, a true nationalist, an ideal politician and a role model for those who want to practice good politics. I also heard a lot about his concept "integral humanism" which has brought him a great recognition all over the country. Being an active follower of Politics, from then onwards, I have been reading about him and have been researching about him and his principles. Recently, I found these interesting facts from his life history.
Panditji was born in a small village called Dhankia in Rajasthan in 1916. Since his school days, he was a bright student. He did his schooling in Kalyan High School in Sikar near Pilani. He has created a record in Ajmer Board Metriculation exams by passing the examination in distinction. It was the first time in Ajmer Board for someone to establish such record. In appreciation to that, King of sikar has awarded him a gold medal and a cash prize of Rs 250 along with a certain amount of scholarship every year till he completes his studies. After metriculation, Panditji wanted to join Birla college at Pilani to complete his inermediate education and his uncle who was his caretaker joined him at Birla College, Pilani. He has passed his first year examination in first class. Panditji's batchmates used to like him a lot for his friendly nature and for his nationalist thinking. His batchmates used to come to him to discuss various subject related topics and national topics. The number has increased day by day. Looking at the number of people interested in discussions, Panditji has initiated a group "Zero Association" in the campus. Members of this association used to regularly meet and discuss topics of national importance. Probably, the whole culture of clubs and departments at BITS has taken its birth from this initiative! Who knows? In 1937, Panditji has completed his education with a distinction from Birla College and that too with highest ever total in College's history. In recognition to his academic brilliance, G D Birla has felicitated Panditji with a Gold Medal who later went on to found Bharatiya janata Party, the second biggest national party today and a principal opposition party in Indian politics which is today ruling eight major states of India.
Panditji later got qualified for Civil Service Exams but he didn't join civil services as he was fascinated by the idea of making for and working with the common people. Probably that one decision has changed the fate of Indian politics! His brain child BJP today has thrown a challenge to congress's monopoly in Indian politics. It is his BJP and the other Janata Parties which fought emergency and brought back this country from darkness. It is his party which later took part in agitations on several national issues and won the confidence of people which ultimately helped them to form the Government at the center. If there is one politician who has never criticized his opponent in elections, it is deendayal Upadhyay. If there is any politician who has advised his partymen not to use any money in elections, It’s Pandit Deendayal Upadyay. Many of Panditji's party men won elections but in his whole political career, Panditji has never won an election due to his idealistic thinking. But he is remembered and greatly respected by both his party colleagues and the opposition parties for his principles, honesty, integrity and his statesmanship.
Many in BJP say that it is Panditji's principles and his concept “integral humanism” which is responsible for the earning a brand "A Party with a difference" for their party. Official website of BJP on its home page mentions about Panditji and his contribution to BJP and Indian politics. More details about Panditji can be found at http://deendayalupadhyaya.org/
As a BITSian, I take a great pride in telling the whole world that Pandit deendayal Upadyay, an all time role model in politics is a BITSian. I am sure the entire BITSian community will take a note of it and take pride of this and take inspiration from this towering personality.
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16 comments:
Interesting Post, nice to know, makes all of us(BITSians) proud!
Unfortunately, people who had a vision, who wanted to bring a change in the society stopped coming from us since 1950's. There is a sense of false security that we obtained through our independence.
And most unfortunately, like in every other country, our educated folks are only studying and not becoming good civilians.
India is waiting for the birth of another Gandhi, another Lalbahudur Shastry, another Tilak, another Ram Mohan Roy. I hope it happens before there is a bigger crisis than British Rule.
Hey Rakesh,
Look at the bottom most list. I'd put this here a year back:
http://www.bitsaa.org/?page=whoswho
(Even late Banarasi Das Gupta studied in Pilani!)
Definitely makes us as BITSians proud!
Dear Rakesh,
Some more great persons had studied at Pilani. One of them was Nanaji Deshmukh, another great leader of BJP.
It is really wonderful information you have provided especially for new generation in BITS. They can be proud of being follower of such saint dignity of modern india and politics. It is really appreciable effort from yourside also to recall the memories of such high ethic personality. I hope you will continue to provide such information of BITS and BITSian so that i can have pride to be part of GREAT BITS
Interesting to know that Pandit Deendayalji is the founder of BJP. On the way to New Delhi Railway Station from ITO, there is a road named after Pandit Deendayalji and I always used to wonder who he is?
Thanks for sharing this info.
Thank you rakesh for providing us a nice and well researched article. Making us proud of pandit deendayal ji.
This article, i hope, will obviously inspire the passout and current students of bits and may lead to production of bright, honest and ideal politicians whom this country desparately needs at the moment.
One day, I was reading about Panditji and I read that he stayed at Pilani. Out of curiousity, I refered several other books to find more information about why he stayed at Pilani. Finally I found that he studied at BITS :)
Some more information about Panditji:
When he was studying at Kanpur, Deendayalji came into contact with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) through his classmate Baluji Mahashabde. He met the RSS founder, Dr. Hedgewar there. Hedgewar used to stay with Babasaheb Apte and Dadarao Parmarth in the hostel. Deendayalji invited him for an intellectual discussion at one of the shakhas. Sunder Singh Bhandari was also one of his classmates at Kanpur. This gave a fillip to his public life.
He was also a great journalist and a writer. He established the publishing house 'Rashtra Dharma Prakashan' in Lucknow and launched the monthly magazine 'Rashtra Dharma' to propound the principles he held sacred. Later he launched the weekly 'Panchjanya' and the daily 'Swadesh'. In Hindi, Panditji wrote a drama ‘Chandragupta Maurya’, and later wrote a biography of Shankaracharya. He translated a Marathi biography of Dr.K.B. Hedgewar, the founder of RSS.
As president of his party, In Calcutta, he gave the following inspiring call to his partymen.
We are pledged to the service not of any particular community or section but of the entire nation. Every countryman is blood of our blood and flesh of our flesh. We shall not rest till we are able to give to every one of them a sense of pride that they are able to give to every one of them a sense of pride that they are children of Bharatmata. We shall make Mother India Sujala, Suphala (overflowing with water and laden with fruits) in the real sense of these words. As Dashapraharana Dharini Durga (Goddess Durga with her 10 weapons) she would be able to vanquish evil; as Lakshmi she would be able to disburse prosperity all over and as Saraswati she would dispel the gloom of ignorance and spread the radiance of knowledge all around her. With faith in ultimate victory, let us dedicate ourselves to this task.'
Thank you Pareekji for your comments. Great to know that even Nanaji Deshmukh is a BITSian.
I do understand why the BITSian community is not aware of such great BITSians. There are some reasons which cannot be discussed in public. Am sure you too know the reasons :)
Thanks Akash for one more finding. Venu Gopal and Sandeep I fully agree with you. India deseperately needs politicians like Panditji and Nanaji Deshmukh.
Hi Rakesh and all,
So he studied his intermediate in BITS?
Since all Birla colleges were merged into BITS later, we can consider Uapadyay as a part of BITS family.
I would like to clarify one thing here.. Deenadayal did *not* found BJP. He died in 1968 while BJP was founded in '80. However, he was instrumental in building Barathiya Jana Sangh which became BJP later.
He inspired thousands of leaders including Advani, Vajpayee, etc. In this way, he has made great contributions our country and to Indian politics. In fact, there is a medical college, a dental college and a petroleum university named after him!
What you said is true Radheshyam. Since most of the people today donot know the background of BJP that it has taken its birth from janasangh, I said Panditji is the founder of BJP. He
It's true that Panditji was key person in building Jana Sangh and later his unique philosophy that has its roots in our vedas , "Integral Humanism" has become basis for most of BJP's policies. And therefore BJP considers him as founder. Even today all BJP's offices across the country has Shyama Prasad Mukharjee and Panditji's photos in their entrances. BJP considers both Shyama Prasad Mukharjee and Panditji as its founders.
Interesting to know this fact! I was just trying to find out how many Bitsians became politicians.. It is really nice to see big profile people (politicians) names like Deendayal Ji, Nanaji Deshmukh, Banarasi Das Gupta ji, Prithviraj Chavhan etc.
Hope to see some more bitsians in Indian politics who can make all of us proud :)
Enlightening!
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