TODAY, we celebrate the birth anniversary of a great visionary not merely an individual, but a thinker, an agitator, and an epoch-defining figure, the highly revered ‘Rashtrarishi’ Dattopant Thengadi. Born on November 10, 1920, in Arvi, Wardha, Thengadi dedicated his entire life to the nation. “We recognise Dattopant Thengdi as a staunch nationalist, a brilliant organiser, a leader of labourers and farmers, an economist, and, above all, a dedicated ‘Swayamsevak’ of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Bhartia mentioned that his life offers us three profound lessons. First, he believed that nationalism is the true form of socialism. At a time when the world was polarised between capitalism and communism, Thengadi declared, “Neither capitalism nor socialism, our path is nationalism.” He maintained that labourers and employers are not enemies, but rather integral parts of the nation. Guided by this philosophy, he founded the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) in 1955—now the world’s largest labour organisation. Today, millions of workers are associated with the BMS, which continues to serve the labour force by following the path laid out by Thengadi. Second, regarding farmers, Dattopant Thengdi asserted that the farmer is the soul of the nation. He stated, “The farmer is not merely a provider of food, but the architect of the nation’s destiny.” To this end, he established the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) and the Swadeshi Jagran Manch. His guiding principles were, “Our country, our products, our self-respect.” The social organisations he founded remain actively engaged in their mission to this day, upholding the principles he established. Third, there was absolute purity in both the thoughts and conduct of Thengadi. He remained a ‘Pracharak’ throughout his entire life. He remained unmarried, did not accumulate any property, and lived a life of simplicity. He served twice as a member of the Rajya Sabha, yet he never harboured any desire for positions of power. He possessed an inexhaustible reservoir of knowledge ranging from the Gita to Marx, and from Manu to modern economics all of which he had studied profoundly. He used to say, “Hindutva is not a sect; it is a form of nationality—a way of life.” When we look at social organisations today, we are reminded of his words, “Service is the very lifeblood of an organisation.” A nation is not built through grand speeches, but through small, consistent acts of service. In conclusion, let us recall his own words, “Before we seek to change the world, we must change ourselves and dedicate our lives to the nation.” A heartfelt, profound tribute on the birth anniversary of ‘Rashtrarishi’ and ‘Karmayogi’—Dattopant Thengadi. (The author is National Convener, Swadeshi Vyapari Manch)