Who was Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh? All you need to know about the social reformer

Nanaji Deshmukh was born on October 11, 1916. A social reformer and politician from India, he worked in the fields of education, health, and rural self-reliance. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna by the Government of India.
“Nanaji Deshmukh's stellar contribution towards rural development showed the way for a new paradigm of empowering those living in our villages. He personifies humility, compassion and service to the downtrodden. He is a Bharat Ratna in the truest sense!” PM Narendra Modi tweeted ahead of conferring him India’s highest civilian award.
Here’s all you need to know about the Maharashtra-born activist.
RSS member
Born as Chandikadas Amritrao Deshmukh in a small town, he was associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from a very early age. In 1940, after Keshav Baliram Hedgewar’s (founder of RSS) death, many youngsters inspired by him joined the RSS in Maharashtra. Deshmukh was among those who joined the RSS devoting their whole life in service to the nation.
Educationist
He is believed to have established Saraswati Shishu Mandir (SSM), which runs a chain of private schools in India and is said to be the educational wing of the RSS. He started the country's first SSM at Gorakhpur in 1950 and was the founder of Deendayal Research Institute (DRI) situated at Chitrakoot.
He was also responsible for starting India’s first rural university, Chitarkoot Gramodya Vishwavidyalaya.
Role in JP movement
He played a key role in the Jaya Prakash (JP) movement against Emergency in 1974. As the general secretary of the Lok Sangharsh Samiti, Deshmukh threw his weight behind Narayan's call for total revolution.
Stint with politics
As an RSS pracharak in Agra, he met Deen Dayal Upadhyaya for the first time. Deshmukh was asked by RSS chief MS Golwalkar to take charge of Bharatiya Jana Sangh in Uttar Pradesh (UP) as its general secretary.
Deshmukh won from Balrampur Lok Sabha constituency of UP in the 1977 election held after revocation of the Emergency with a comfortable margin.
Later, Narayan himself and Morarji Desai, who became the Prime Minister heading the Janata Party Government offered him the Cabinet portfolio of Industry, but Deshmukh spurned the overture.
Unhappiness with India’s inaction against Pakistan
Deshmukh deplored India's "perpetual inaction against continuous attacks by Pakistan". He felt such inaction could not be explained away, especially at a time when US had launched an attack on Afghanistan in retaliation to the terrorist attacks in New York on September 11.
Rural development
After retiring from politics in 1980, Deshmukh through DRI set up alternative rural development models based on traditional knowledge in the remote areas of Gonda and Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh (MP) respectively.
Reformist
Desmukh actively participated in the Bhoodan Movement started by Vinoba Bhave. Nanaji played an important role in carrying out a social restructuring programme in over 500 villages of UP and MP.
Apart from his contributions towards anti-poverty and minimum needs programmes, he carried out reformation of agriculture and cottage industry, rural health and rural education.
Death
Deshmukh died on 27 February 2010 in the premises of Chitrakoot Gramoday Vishwavidyalaya.