Nanaji Deshmukh: A selfless Soul

Let’s peep into 77 years back in the time, when a multi-talented student of Rajasthan’s renowned Birla College of Pilani, who had proved his metal from academics to football and debates, attracted the attention of India’s one of the top business tycoon Ghanshyam Das Birla. Business baron wished to appoint this bright young man his personal secretary. But despite the salary so high and the other lucrative privileges attached to this prestigious position the young Chandika Das Deshmukh, for everyone’s astonishment, turned down the proposal of Mr Birla. Instead took the ordination from RSS founder Dr Hedgewar and became Sangha Pracharak. 

In a small village called Kadoli, located in Hingoli Talluka of district Parbhani, Maharashtra, born as fifth and the youngest child of Amritrao and Rajabai Deshmukh, Chandika excelled all the odds of his humble background with sheer determination and willpower. He sold vegetables and worked as a newspaper hawker to support his education as his parents were too poor to do so. In 1934 Chandika Das Deshmukh was among those 17 Swayamsevaks who were initiated as Pracharak by Dr Hedgewar himself. Since that point of time, he completely dedicated himself to the service of society. In 1944 he led a team of Swayamsevakswhen Narayniriver hit Chatoliwith heavy floods and rescued hundreds of lives. 

After the assassination of Gandhi Ji, when RSS was banned, he also had to be in jail for six months. In 1951, he along with PanditDeendayal was entrusted by Sangha to sail the Jansangha, a political front with patriotic values blessed by RSS, forward and he did it superbly. Since the very initiation of Jansangha till the downfall of Indira Gandhi, he played a key role in keeping the people of different ideology in a close bracket and played a prime Strategist in the J.P movement that led the nationalistic political forces to the victory. 

Later in life as Sangh Pracharak Chandika Das Deshmukh, lovingly called as Nanaji Deshmukh, transformed the 500 villages of a backward belt of Chitrakoot region into a paragon of overall development. The credit of establishing the first ever Rural College in India also goes to NanajiDeshmukh. 

During the emergency in 1974, NanaJi again had to go to jail for 17 months. This was the period when he studied a lot and reached the conclusion that distorted politics in India can’t take the country anywhere rather rural centric economical development is the need of the hour. Turing down the portfolio of cabinet minister he quit politics and started working for the upliftment of villages. In this course adopting the vision of employment for all and smooth irrigation to all farms, NanaJi chose the most backward village of U.P- Gaunda, and transformed it into a perfect example of rural development. 

NanaJi'sideology of making the weakest person of the society economically sound resulted in establishing the DeendayalShodhSansthan. Through innovating and implementing natural organic farming, water management and development of conventional rural business industry, NanaJitransformed hundreds of villages. Inspired by his dedication towards society many urban couples volunteered themselves in his initiative. 

NanaJi’s entire life itself has been a perfect example of ultimate service to society. He not only kept donating the entire fund he used to get during his tenure as Rajyasabha M.P but also donated his body for medical research.