Guwahati, Sep 25 — Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday paid tribute to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya on his birth anniversary, recalling his philosophy of ‘Antyodaya’ and stressing that development must reach the last person in society.
In a post on X, CM Sarma said Upadhyaya’s philosophy continues to guide efforts aimed at ensuring that the benefits of development reach the most marginalised sections of society.
“From Antyodaya to Rashtrodyaya. On the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya ji, I pay my humble respects to him,” CM Sarma said.
“His philosophy of Antyodaya continues to guide us even today, ensuring that the benefits of development reach the last person in society, and through that, the nation becomes empowered,” he added.
September 25 marks the birth anniversary of Upadhyaya, a prominent leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and one of the key thinkers associated with its ideological framework. His philosophy of Antyodaya broadly emphasises the upliftment and welfare of the person at the bottom of the social and economic order.
CM Sarma’s remarks came as political leaders across the country paid tributes to Upadhyaya on his birth anniversary.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered the former Jana Sangh leader on Friday, highlighting his emphasis on the upliftment of the person standing in the last row of society and describing Antyodaya as an inspiration for public welfare and national progress.
The Assam Chief Minister has frequently highlighted welfare delivery and development as key components of his government’s governance agenda.
His latest message linked the principle of reaching the last person with the broader idea of national empowerment. The term ‘Rashtrodyaya’, used by CM Sarma in his post, refers to the rise or empowerment of the nation, placing it in the context of development beginning with the welfare of the most vulnerable.
Upadhyaya, born in 1916, was a senior leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the political predecessor of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He articulated the philosophy of Integral Humanism and advocated Antyodaya as a principle of social and economic upliftment.
CM Sarma concluded his tribute by reiterating the continuing relevance of Upadhyaya’s ideas in public life and governance.