PERSONALITY
IN NEWS : PANDIT DEENDAYAL UPADHAYA
Pandit
Deendayal Upadhyaya
- Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya
(1916-1968) was
a key figure in India's right-wing politics.
- He was a pracharak
(volunteer) of the RSS and co-founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS),
the predecessor of today's BJP.
- His philosophy of Integral
Humanism continues to influence BJP's ideology and policies.
Integral
Humanism Philosophy
- Core Concept: Integral Humanism promotes
balance between the body, mind, intelligence, and soul, focusing on
holistic development of individuals and society.
- Purusharthas: It emphasizes the pursuit
of four goals in life—dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama
(desire), and moksha (liberation)—in a balanced and harmonious way for
a meaningful life.
Context
of the Philosophy
- Upadhyaya created Integral
Humanism as a uniquely Indian ideology, opposing Western political
ideas like capitalism and socialism.
- He believed that India
should follow its own intellectual traditions, rather than copying
Western models.
Difference
in Indian and Western Thought
- Upadhyaya criticized Western
thinking for its compartmentalized approach, which separates
different aspects of life.
- He argued that Indian
culture has a more integrated view that equally values the body,
mind, and soul.