Agartala, 25 September: Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was a staunch nationalist and the pioneer of Integral Humanism. His vision for post-independence India’s development and welfare is repeatedly reflected in his life philosophy and writings. Speaking at a state-level event held in Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhavan on Wednesday to commemorate Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s birth anniversary, Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha emphasized these points.
The Chief Minister highlighted that India’s democratic traditions are rooted in its civilizational heritage, and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya believed that the country cannot progress by adopting foreign ideologies. He further stressed that to lead India to greater heights, the nation must follow the ideals and thoughts of great thinkers like Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. He added that past central and state governments failed to promote their philosophies among the general public. However, since Narendra Modi assumed the office of Prime Minister, there has been a renewed commitment to advancing the country based on their teachings. This has led to the implementation of numerous welfare schemes benefiting the most disadvantaged sections of society.
At the event, the posthumous Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Unity Award was presented to Brajesh Chakraborty for his notable contributions to social work and public engagement. Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha and other dignitaries handed over the award, which included a cash prize of ₹1 lakh, a commemorative memento, and a shawl, to Gayatri Chakraborty, a member of Brajesh’s family.
Additionally, winners of the college-level essay competition on Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya were honored. The first, second, and third prizes went to Sneha Saha from Sachin Debbarman Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Debatri Nandi from Women’s College, and Mujibur Rahman from Ramthakur College, respectively. The event also featured a garland-laying tribute to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s portrait by the Chief Minister and other dignitaries, along with the screening of a short documentary on his life.
In his keynote address, Anirban Ganguly, Chairman of the Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee Research Foundation in New Delhi, described Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya as a political philosopher, organizer, writer, editor, and above all, a patriot. Ganguly emphasized Upadhyaya’s vision of national identity, asserting that freedom without national integrity would be meaningless. The state government also felicitated Mr. Ganguly and his wife during the event.
In his welcome address, Dr. P.K. Chakraborty, Secretary of the Department of Information and Culture, informed the gathering that, apart from the state-level celebration, the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was observed across 22 sub-divisions. Subrata Chakraborty, Vice-Chairman of the State Advisory Committee on Culture, and Bimbisar Bhattacharjee, Director of the Department of Information and Culture, were also present. An open quiz competition for school students was held later as part of the program.
