Dattopant Bapurao Thengadi,[2] (Marathi: दत्तोपंत ठेंगडी, 10 November 1920 – 14 October 2004) was an Indian Hindu ideologue, trade union leader and founder of the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh. He was born in Arvi, Wardha, Maharashtra.

Dattopant Thengadi
Born
Dattatrye Bapurao Thengadi

(1920-11-10)10 November 1920
Arvi town, Wardha District, Maharashtra, British India
Died14 October 2004(2004-10-14) (aged 83)
Pune, Maharashtra, Republic of India
NationalityIndian
Alma materMorris College
OrganizationRashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
Known forFounder of Swadeshi Jagaran Manch
Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh
Bharatiya Kisan Sangh
Parent(s)Bapurao Dajeebaa Thengadi (Father), Shrimati Janaki Devi (Mother)
AwardsAwarded with Padma Bhushan, but he refused.[1]
Websitehttps://dbthengadi.in/
Signature

Thengadi was a full-time Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh pracharak until his death on 14 October 2004. He was awarded with the Padma Bhushan, but refused to accept it.[1]

Early history

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Dattatreya Bapurao Thengadi was born in Arvi, Wardha, Maharashtra on 10 November 1920. He studied law at Law College in Nagpur.[3] He finished his post-graduation from Morris College and LLB from Law College in Nagpur. He was a lawyer as well as a philosopher, and displayed an early talent for administration. At the age of 15, he served as president of the "Vanar Sena" as well as the Municipal High School student union at Arvi.[4] He took part in India's Freedom Movement and was a member of the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) from 1936–38. He became a full-time pracharak in 1942.

He worked as organizing secretary of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) from 1950–51, and was associated with the Postal & Railway Workers Union (Communist Party).[4] He was organising secretary of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh for Madhya Pradesh (1952–53) and South India (1956–57).

He was influenced by Madhavrao Sadashivrao Golwalkar. Some of his other influences are Babasaheb Ambedkar and Deendayal Upadhyaya.[4]

Organisations

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Thengadi founded Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh[5] (1955), Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (1979),[6] Swadeshi Jagran Manch (1991),[7] Samajik Samarasata Manch, Sarva Panth Samadar Manch, and Paryavaran Manch. He was also a co-founder of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad, Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat and Bharatiya Vichara Kendra.

Parliament

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Thengadi was a member of the Rajya Sabha from Bharatiya Jana Sangh for two terms during 1964–76,[8] also served as its vice-chairman in 1968–70. He organized protests during the anti-Emergency movement in 1975.

Death

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Ashok Singhal giving tribute to Dattopant Thengadi.

Thengadi died on 14 October 2004 due to brain hemorrhage.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Thengadi declines Padma award". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 29 July 2003. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  2. ^ डा. अम्बेडकर और सामाजिक क्रान्ति की यात्रा, Introduction of Author, paragraph 2
  3. ^ "Dattopant Thengadi - activist MP from RSS who shaped 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' idea decades ago". 2020.
  4. ^ a b c A Nationalist Pursuit, Published by Sahitya Sindhu Prakashana- Introduction of the author.
  5. ^ Dattopant Thengadi Article on 'Founder' page of BMS' official website.
  6. ^ Dattopant Thengadi Article on Bharatiya Kisan Sangh Page as a founder.
  7. ^ Introduction of SJM on its official website.
  8. ^ Outlook: Dattopant Thengadi -- An efficient organisation builder
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