Deendayal Upadhyaya birth anniversary: Here's how BJP leaders paid tribute to RSS thinker

Today, 25 September marks the birth anniversary of one of the most prominent faces in the history of Indian politics - Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. The day is celebrated as Antyodaya Diwas every year. He was a strong Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) thinker and co-founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), which is currently the forerunner of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).Born in 1916 near the town of Farah in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district, Upadhyaya lost his parents at an early age and was brought up by his maternal uncle. His father was an astrologer while his mother was a homemaker. Despite facing a troubled childhood, Upadhyaya was a brilliant student. He even received a gold medal, Rs 250 for books, and a monthly scholarship of Rs 10 from the Maharaja of Sikar.In 1937, Upadhyaya was first associated with the RSS while studying at Sanatan Dharma College. He also attended a 40-day summer vacation RSS camp in Nagpur. Upadhyaya was introduced to the RSS by his classmate named Baluji Mahashabde.He was found dead near the Mughalsarai railway station in Uttar Pradesh on 11 February, 1968. As per the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), they notified that he was killed by robbers.On the occasion of his birth anniversary today, the official social media handle of the BJP posted a note for the leader. The party hailed Upadhyaya as an ardent nationalist, excellent organizer, and pioneer.Former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis too offered his “floral tributes to the Father of Integral Humanism” and posted a few pictures on Twitter.Other former and current leaders including  N Ramchander Rao, Kothapalli Geetha, Ashwani Mahajan, Shobha Karandlaje, P C Mohan, Embalam R Selvam paid their respect for the great thinker and leader. Take a look at their posts below: