Independent India stands at the threshold of its Amrit Kaal (a golden era), while the rest of the world finds itself at a crossroads of uncertainty. In this scenario, India, which has always upheld a holistic and nature-centric perspective, is emerging as a role model for sustainable development in the entire world. The Western civilization, which has eternally viewed nature as a resource for exploitation, is struggling to find answers. Systems entangled in ideologies like communism, socialism, and capitalism are either collapsing or becoming ensnared in internal and external conflicts.

At the time of India’s independence, the nation too faced a similar dilemma. The then ruling elite was unable to envision a development path suited to India’s unique circumstances and oscillated between these three ideological frameworks. It was at that moment of uncertainty that a visionary thinker emerged on the horizon of this great nation, offering a timeless philosophy—known to the world as Integral Humanism. The proponent of this philosophy was Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, a dedicated pracharak (full-timer) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and one of the key founders of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (precursor to the Bharatiya Janata Party). However, he consistently emphasized that he had not created this philosophy; rather, it was a natural extension of India’s ancient knowledge traditions. Being rooted in the Sanatan (eternal) ethos, it remains just as relevant today. On his 67th death anniversary, February 11, we remember this modern sage and his contributions.

A Vision for Holistic Human Development

In his short yet........

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