PrintFriendlyWhen Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee entrusted the ideological future to a RSS Pracharak Deendayal Upadhyaya, it was a conscious cultural choice. Today, the Mookerjee–Upadhyaya legacy stands not merely as a chapter in political history, but as the very foundation of Bharat’s ongoing civilizational resurgence
The history of Indian politics after Independence is not merely a chronicle of electoral outcomes but of ideological battles and legacy-building. Among the defining moments in this journey was Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s decision to entrust the Bharatiya Jana Sangh’s ideological future to a young, relatively unknown pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Deendayal Upadhyaya. This choice not only shaped the Jana Sangh’s political trajectory but also laid the foundation for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which would eventually emerge as the largest political party in the world.
A man of exceptional intellect and patriotism, Mookerjee’s worldview fused civilizational consciousness with policy realism. A visionary rooted in civilizational ethos, Mookerjee’s commitment to a culturally confident and economically self-reliant India set him apart from the dominant Nehruvian narrative of his time. As the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (the ideological predecessor to today’s Bharatiya Janata Party), Mookerjee laid the groundwork for a political movement that emphasized rashtriya ekatmata (national integration), federal empowerment, and indigenous industry. Former President Dr. Rajendra Prasad praised Mookerjee for his clarity of thought and national conviction, while even critics admired his parliamentary intellect and oratory.
In “Syama Prasad Mookerjee: His Vision of Education” by Tathagata Roy and “The Jana Sangh: A Biography of an Indian Political Party” by Craig Baxter, Mookerjee is portrayed as an early proponent of decentralization and market-oriented industrial growth. As India’s first Industry Minister, he laid out plans to strengthen small-scale industries and reduce import dependence, ideas that find resonance in today’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision. His uncompromising stand on Jammu and Kashmir, especially his opposition to Article 370, was based on the conviction of national unity and equality under the Constitution.
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who started his political journey under Mookerjee, once remarked: “Dr. Mookerjee was not just a politician; he was a national institution.” From 2014, Mookerjee’s relevance has grown as India rebalances Nehruvian idealism with Mookerjeean realism especially in matters of border security, economic liberalism, and civilizational identity.
Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s meeting with Guruji
Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh began in the early 1940s but matured into a strategic partnership during the years surrounding India’s independence. Disillusioned by the appeasement policies of the Congress, especially in the context of Muslim League demands and the Partition agenda, Mookerjee started engaging with nationalist and cultural organizations that shared his vision of Akhand Bharat. His first meaningful interaction with the RSS occurred in 1942–43, when he was introduced to Shri M.S. Golwalkar (Guruji) through intermediaries who recognized the shared philosophical orientation between the two leaders. According to Rambhau Godbole, an early RSS leader in Bengal, it was Mookerjee’s growing concern over the communal politics of the time that led him to see the RSS as a disciplined and culturally rooted nationalist force (as noted in “Syama Prasad Mookerjee: His Vision of India” by Tathagata Roy, 2015).
Mookerjee was impressed by the Sangh’s grassroots work, particularly its ability to instill self-discipline, patriotism, and service among the youth. He observed that while political movements often swayed with populism, the RSS quietly worked on character-building, a trait he valued immensely. Guruji Golwalkar, for his part, found in Mookerjee a rare combination of erudition, integrity, and political stature. Their philosophical alignment was grounded in the idea that Bharat’s soul resided in its cultural and spiritual ethos, not in Western-style secularism or materialism.
This ideological synergy matured into organizational collaboration in 1951, when Mookerjee decided to form a new political outfit, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh as an alternative to both the Congress and the communists. It was at this juncture that Guruji Golwalkar extended the RSS’s organizational support by deputing trusted pracharaks like Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya to assist Mookerjee. As Tathagata Roy explains, “Without the moral and structural backing of the RSS, the Jana Sangh could never have taken off with the speed and discipline that it did” (Roy, 2015).
In internal RSS discussions, Guruji reportedly referred to Mookerjee as a “Rashtra-neta of uncommon courage”, appreciating his principled stand against Article 370 and the special status of Jammu & Kashmir.
Thus, the meeting and subsequent alliance between Mookerjee and Golwalkar symbolized the synthesis of cultural nationalism with political activism, forming the ideological and organizational bedrock for what would eventually become the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
A Leader Seeking Depth over Charisma
As a realist, Mookerjee knew that building a movement required more than a vision. It demanded a cadre-based structure, ideological discipline, and selfless leadership.
That’s when he found an ideal partner in Deendayal Upadhyaya, a full-time pracharak of the RSS who had joined the Sangh after completing his education from Sanatan Dharma College, Kanpur and the prestigious Prayag Vishwavidyalaya (University of Allahabad). Mookerjee was impressed by Deendayal’s sharp intellect, deep knowledge of Indian philosophy, and humble organizational style. This legendary remark captured not only his admiration but also his foresight about the role Deendayal Upadhyaya could play in shaping India’s ideological future.
Deendayal Upadhyaya joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 1937 while he was still a student. By 1942, he had committed himself fully to the organization as a pracharak. This early initiation into the Sangh Parivar inculcated in him the foundational values of discipline, nationalism, and selfless service, which made him a natural choice when Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee sought to align the newly formed Bharatiya Jana Sangh with the ideological roots of the RSS.
“He had no other ambition except to serve the motherland through the RSS platform,”
(Reference: “Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya: Ideology and Perception.”
by Rambhau Godbole, Suruchi Prakashan, 1992.)
The RSS, recognizing his ideological clarity and personal integrity, seconded him to the political field, marking a rare transition from a cultural organization to active political involvement.
The RSS deputed Deendayal Upadhyaya to assist in setting up the party’s structure. He was first appointed the General Secretary of the Uttar Pradesh unit, where his meticulous style, grassroots connect, and disciplined management impressed party leadership. Soon after, he was elevated to the post of All-India General Secretary, a role he would hold for 15 continuous years (1953–1968). His contributions included developing an extensive cadre network across India, establishing the panch-pradeshik vyavastha (zonal structure), and conducting ideological training through regular camps (abhyas vargs).
Dr. Mookerjee is famously quoted as saying:
“If I had two Deendayals, I could change the political face of India.”
(Cited in: Deendayal Upadhyaya: A Profile, by Ramlal Sharma, Suruchi Prakashan, 2000.)
His approach combined the Sangh’s discipline with electoral politics’ dynamism, a rare trait that made Jana Sangh stand out from the Congress-led political order.
More than just an organizer, Deendayal Upadhyaya was a profound political philosopher. In 1965, he formally presented the theory of Ekatma Manav Darshan (Integral Humanism) at the Bharatiya Jana Sangh National Training Camp in Gwalior. This doctrine became the official philosophy of the party and laid the ideological foundation for what would eventually evolve into the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Integral Humanism, as propounded by Deendayal Upadhyaya, is a uniquely Indian framework that harmonizes the country’s cultural ethos with the demands of modern development. Rejecting the materialist outlooks of both Western capitalism, which prioritizes profit and individualism, and Marxist socialism, which overemphasizes class conflict and state control, Integral Humanism focuses on a holistic view of human life rooted in Indian philosophical traditions. It perceives human beings not merely as economic entities but as multidimensional personalities with physical, mental, intellectual, and spiritual needs. Therefore, it proposes a model of development that balances material growth with moral and spiritual elevation, ensuring that progress is in harmony with the individual’s duties to society, culture, and nature.
Economically, Integral Humanism emphasizes decentralization and local self-reliance through the principle of Swadeshi, advocating for economic systems that serve the needs of the people rather than global market forces. It calls for village-centric development where the smallest unit of society can thrive independently, reducing overdependence on centralized planning or foreign imports. At the same time, it values cultural rootedness, encouraging preservation and pride in Bharatiya traditions while engaging with modern science and technology in a way that does not erode national identity. By promoting spiritual well-being alongside material prosperity, it envisions a society where progress uplifts the individual, strengthens communities, and aligns with Dharma, rather than becoming a race for wealth divorced from ethical or cultural considerations.
“The West sees man as an economic animal. We see him as a spiritual being,” Deendayal Upadhyaya said in his Gwalior address.
(Reference: Integral Humanism, Deendayal Upadhyaya, Suruchi Prakashan)
His vision became the philosophical compass for not just the Jana Sangh, but also its successor, the BJP, which adopted Integral Humanism as its core ideological plank in 1980.
In 1968, Deendayal Upadhyaya’s sudden and mysterious death near Mughal Sarai railway station was a major loss for the organization. However, by then, he had already sown the seeds of a nationalistic alternative to the Congress that would later culminate in the BJP’s rise.
Deendayal Upadhyaya’s selection as the ideological and organizational cornerstone of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh was not coincidental, it was the result of his deep grounding in the RSS philosophy, his unmatched ability to organize and expand a political movement, his development of Integral Humanism as a uniquely Indian political doctrine, and his moral stature as a selfless leader. His legacy continues to influence the BJP and broader political discourse in India even today.
Impact on Jana Sangh and BJP
After the untimely death of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee in 1953, there was widespread concern that the newly-formed Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) would crumble without its charismatic founder. However, it was Deendayal Upadhyaya’s quiet, determined, and visionary leadership that not only ensured the party’s survival but laid the institutional and ideological foundation for its long-term relevance. Upadhyaya stepped into a leadership vacuum with remarkable poise, dedicating himself to organizational strengthening, ideological clarity, and cadre development, shaping the BJS into a cohesive national force that would later evolve into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
As noted by Rambhau Godbole in his book Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya: Ideology and Perception (Suruchi Prakashan, 1992),
“He built the party brick by brick, with the missionary zeal of a Sangh pracharak and the strategic mind of a statesman.”
One of Upadhyaya’s most significant contributions was the creation of a nationwide organizational network. He moved beyond urban intellectual circles to engage grassroots workers, expanding party units in states like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. His emphasis on discipline, ideological training, and booth-level organization laid the groundwork for future electoral growth. He institutionalized Jana Sangh’s panch-pradeshik vyavastha (five-zonal structure), which allowed for regional autonomy with national coherence.
Perhaps Upadhyaya’s most enduring intellectual contribution was his articulation of Integral Humanism (Ekatma Manav Darshan) in April 1965, during a four-part lecture series. This doctrine provided an indigenous ideological alternative to the world grounding development in Bharatiya civilizational values. It later became the official ideology of the Jana Sangh and was adopted by the BJP in 1980.
Integral Humanism is visible even today in the “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas” development philosophy of the Modi government, which echoes the inclusive, culturally-rooted, and spiritually-conscious governance model envisioned by Deendayal Upadhyaya.
In Integral Humanism, Upadhyaya wrote:
“We are not merely the body or mind; we are also the spirit. A true model of development must address all three levels of human need.”
Deendayal Upadhyaya was a great mentor and role model. He believed in grooming young minds and creating a cadre-driven political culture. He personally mentored leaders such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Nanaji Deshmukh, and Sunder Singh Bhandari, who later became key architects of the BJP’s rise in national politics.
L.K. Advani, in his memoir My Country, My Life (Rupa Publications, 2008), recalls:
“Upadhyaya didn’t just teach us politics. He taught us character, sacrifice, and the purpose of public life. He shaped our thinking more deeply than any textbook ever could.”
These leaders went on to carry forward his ideals, embedding Integral Humanism and nationalist thought into the BJP’s DNA. His cadre-centric approach, inspired by RSS discipline, became the bedrock of the BJP’s later mass outreach strategies, setting it apart from personality-driven parties.
Deendayal Upadhyaya’s leadership was pivotal in transforming the Bharatiya Jana Sangh from a fledgling outfit into an ideological force. His strategic foresight, rooted in Bharatiya thought and unwavering integrity, enabled the party to expand, evolve, and endure. His work lives on not just in the BJP’s philosophical underpinnings but in its institutional robustness, cultural nationalism, and grassroots strength.
As Vajpayee once said at a Jana Sangh workers’ meeting in 1970:
“Upadhyaya was not just a man, he was a movement.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), established in 1980 as the ideological successor to the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, holds Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee as its principal ideological pillars. Upadhyaya’s philosophy of Integral Humanism continues to serve as a foundational doctrine for the party, frequently invoked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a guiding principle in policy and governance.
Reflecting this reverence, the BJP’s national headquarters in Delhi is located on ‘Deendayal Upadhyaya Marg’, and flagship welfare initiatives such as the Deendayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana are aimed at uplifting the most marginalized, embodying his vision of Antyodaya (welfare of the last person). Similarly, Dr. Mookerjee’s legacy was profoundly honored with the historic abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, a move the BJP described as the culmination of a 70-year-long ideological and political struggle for complete national integration, a cause for which Mookerjee laid down his life.
Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s decision to choose an RSS Pracharak, Deendayal Upadhyaya as his ideological heir was not merely political it was civilizational. It ensured that the alternative vision of Bharat, rooted in dharma, self-reliance, and cultural unity, survived and thrived. The fruits of that choice are visible today in the policies and direction of the BJP-led government, which continues to draw strength from the ideals of its founders. The Mookerjee–Upadhyaya legacy is not just historical; it is foundational to India’s evolving civilizational resurgence.
References & Citations:
Notable Books & Reports
“Syama Prasad Mookerjee: A Profile” by Tathagata Roy–A comprehensive account of Mookerjee’s vision, political decisions, and the rationale behind selecting Deendayal.
“Political Diary” by Deendayal Upadhyaya– Contains his thoughts and analysis during his leadership years, shedding light on his deep political thinking.
“Integral Humanism” by Deendayal Upadhyaya–The ideological backbone of the Jana Sangh and later BJP, this book is studied by many BJP karyakartas today.
“The Jana Sangh: A Biography of an Indian Political Party” by Craig Baxter–Offers an academic account of the growth of the Jana Sangh, emphasizing the roles of Mookerjee and Upadhyaya.
Parliamentary Debates (1950–53)–Archival records show Mookerjee’s bold stand on Article 370, Nehru’s foreign policy, and support for indigenous education, all of which find echoes in Deendayal’s later works.
Author
(The views expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the position of the organisation)