The day observed on the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was born on 25 September 1916 and died on 11 February 1968.
He was associated with the philosophy of Integral Humanism, which considers the development of the body, mind, intellect and soul as an integrated whole.
His Antyodaya idea places the poorest person at the centre of development and links development with a minimum standard of living for all.
The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) was launched on 25 September 2014 to provide skill training and employment opportunities to rural youth.
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) is another government programme named after him and focuses on the social and economic empowerment of rural households.