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Antyodaya Diwas 2024 Date and Significance: Antyodaya Diwas is an annual occasion in India commemorating the birth anniversary of Indian leader Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
It serves as a day to remember and celebrate his life and legacy, as he was one of the most influential leaders in Indian political history.
Upadhyaya’s birth anniversary observed on Antyodaya, which means ‘rising of the last’, honours his efforts to improve the underprivileged and less fortunate.
As we celebrate Antyodaya Diwas today, here’s all you need to know about the day.
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was born in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, on September 25, 1916. His birth anniversary is observed every year on the same day as Antyodaya Diwas.
In 2024, the day will be marked on Wednesday, September 25.
Upadhyaya was the co-founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), the forerunner of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and was also one of the thinkers of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi passed a bill and declared September 25 a national observance to commemorate and recognise his efforts and contributions.
Additionally, the same year, the Ministry of Rural Development re-established Aajeevika Skills, a skill development initiative run by the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM). It came to be known as Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (NRLM) in November 2015.
In 2018, the Mughalsarai Junction railway station was renamed Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction in honour of the political leader, Pandit Deendayal passed away near Mughalsarai in 1968.
Upadhyaya was a well-known philosopher who worked for the cause of the poor and needy and championed integral humanism, focussing on individual and collective welfare, social justice, economic equality, and self-reliance.
The term “Antyodaya” translates to “upliftment of the last person,” epitomising Upadhyaya’s mission to address the needs of the most disadvantaged individuals in society, with the day marked by various activities aimed at promoting awareness and action towards uplifting the underprivileged.
Government and non-government organisations often organise seminars, workshops, and community service initiatives focused on skill development, health care, and education.
