Nanaji Deshmukh, Social Reformer
Social Reformer

Nanaji Deshmukh

Born 11 October 1916 · Maharashtra — Died 27 February 2010

Founded the Deendayal Research Institute promoting rural self-reliance and education in Madhya Pradesh.

Chandikadas Amritrao Deshmukh, better known as Nanaji Deshmukh, was an Indian social activist and politician. He worked in the fields of education, health, and rural self-reliance. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award in 2019 by the Government of India. He was a leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), the precursor to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alongside being a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a right-wing Hindutva paramilitary organisation.

✨

A detail that
surprised us

“

Nanaji Deshmukh once stayed covertly in a dharmashala in Agra, cooking for Baba Raghavdas in exchange for shelter while expanding the RSS shakhas around Gorakhpur in the 1940s.

The Story

1
🌱 In 1916, Nanaji Deshmukh was born in Parbhani district, Hyderabad State, and as a boy, he sold vegetables to fund his education, highlighting early struggles that shaped his dedication to rural upliftment.
2
📚 By 1950, he had established Vidya Bharati in Gorakhpur, India's educational wing of the RSS, igniting a new wave of nationalist education in Uttar Pradesh.
3📰 After Gandhi's assassination in 1948 and the RSS ban, Deshmukh managed underground publications like Rashtradharma and Panchjanya, working covertly to sustain ideological outreach during political repression.
4In the 1950s, as general secretary of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in Uttar Pradesh, he forged alliances with socialist leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia, contributing to the first non-Congress coalition government in UP.

🏅 Awards & Honours

—
Bharat Ratna (posthumous)

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

In 1947, Nanaji was appointed managing director of three RSS publications (Rashtradharma, Panchjanya, Swadesh) simultaneously, steering their survival during the RSS ban after Gandhi’s assassination.

🖼️

Through the Years

5 photographs from the archives
Nanaji Deshmukh receiving the Naresh Samata Puraskar from Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in New Delhi (2006).
Nanaji Deshmukh receiving the Naresh Samata Puraskar from Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in New Delhi (2006).
2006
Nanaji Deshmukh honored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during birth centenary celebrations in New Delhi (2017).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi releasing a commemorative stamp on Nanaji Deshmukh in New Delhi (2017).
Commemorative postage stamp featuring Nanaji Deshmukh issued by India (2017).
Nanaji Deshmukh's statue unveiled by President Ram Nath Kovind at Deendayal Research Institute, Madhya Pradesh (2018).

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Parbhani, Hyderabad State
Nanaji Deshmukh was born into a Marathi Deshastha Brahmin family in the Parbhani district, beginning his life in British India.
1916
⚡
Career
Joined RSS after Hedgewar's death
Nanaji joined the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh following the death of its founder K.B. Hedgewar and was sent as Pracharak to Uttar Pradesh.
1940
⚡
Career
Managed RSS publications post-independence
He became managing director for Rashtradharma, Panchjanya, and Swadesh, critical to RSS’s ideological outreach after independence.
1947
⚡
Career
Founded Vidya Bharati in Gorakhpur
Nanaji established the educational wing of the RSS, Vidya Bharati, starting a network of nationalist schools.
1950
⚡
Career
Became General Secretary of BJS in UP
He was appointed by Golwalkar to strengthen the Bharatiya Jana Sangh's organizational base in Uttar Pradesh.
1950
🕊️
Death
Passed away
Nanaji Deshmukh died, leaving behind a legacy of rural development and political activism.
2010
🏅
Award
Awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously
The Government of India honored Nanaji with the Bharat Ratna, recognizing his lifetime contributions to social reform and politics.
2019
More moments to come...
+ Add a moment

🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 05
🔍LESSER KNOWN

Though primarily a social reformer, Nanaji was deeply involved in politics, aiding the Bharatiya Jana Sangh’s grassroots expansion in Uttar Pradesh and fostering coalitions with socialist parties in the 1950s.

02 / 05
👤PERSONAL

Nanaji's early life saw him selling vegetables to pay for his education, a detail rarely mentioned but crucial to understanding his commitment to self-reliance and rural development.

03 / 05
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

He played a key role in launching over 250 RSS shakhas around Gorakhpur within three years after arriving there, marking a rapid and dense expansion of the organization's grassroots presence.

No quote recorded for Nanaji Deshmukh yet.

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
ITV's Feature Documentary On Legendary Social Activist Nanaji Deshmukh
More from this archive
ITV's Feature Documentary On Legendary Social Activist Nanaji Deshmukh
01
ITV's Feature Documentary On Legendary Social Activist Nanaji Deshmukh
Nanaji Deshmukh - Revolutionary Leader | Bharat Ratna - The Jewels Of India | Epic
02
Nanaji Deshmukh - Revolutionary Leader | Bharat Ratna - The Jewels Of India | Epic
Nanaji Deshmukh | Politician & Social Reformer
03
Nanaji Deshmukh | Politician & Social Reformer
Politician & Social Reformer Nanaji Deshmukh | Former Rajya Sabha Member
04
Politician & Social Reformer Nanaji Deshmukh | Former Rajya Sabha Member
Nanaji Deshmukh | Politician & Social Reformer | Former Rajya Sabha Member
05
Nanaji Deshmukh | Politician & Social Reformer | Former Rajya Sabha Member
Nanaji Deshmukh को मरणोपरांत मिलेगा Bharat Ratna, देश के विकास में दिया ये योगदान
06
Nanaji Deshmukh को मरणोपरांत मिलेगा Bharat Ratna, देश के विकास में दिया ये योगदान
नानाजी देशमुख की राष्ट्र, समाज के लिए की श्रम-साधना दर्शाती फिल्म Short Film on Nanaji Deshmukh.
07
नानाजी देशमुख की राष्ट्र, समाज के लिए की श्रम-साधना दर्शाती फिल्म Short Film on Nanaji Deshmukh.
Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh जिन्होंने सियासी करियर के चरम पर रिटायरमेंट ले लिया | Political Kisse
08
Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh जिन्होंने सियासी करियर के चरम पर रिटायरमेंट ले लिया | Political Kisse
Small talk With Nanaji Deshmukh in 2007
09
Small talk With Nanaji Deshmukh in 2007
Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh | Pictures in Motion
10
Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh | Pictures in Motion

🌱 What changed because of them

Nanaji Deshmukh's establishment of Vidya Bharati laid a foundation for nationalist-oriented education that continues across thousands of schools. His rural university concept and litigation-free village initiatives introduced innovative models for local self-governance and rural empowerment, influencing policy discussions on grassroots democracy. His political alliances helped break Congress dominance in Uttar Pradesh, altering regional political landscapes.

💬 Social Buzz

💬

What are people saying about Nanaji Deshmukh?

Share posts from historians, journalists and notable voices about this icon. 🇮🇳

💭 Memories & Tributes

Share your memory of Nanaji Deshmukh...
Loading memories...
Is this profile accurate?