14/10/2017
" Dattopantji Thengadi, unknown to most, founded institutions known and powerful but himself not known. He passed away at 84, with energies that one would see in a man of 48. He was of course a resounding success as a trade unionist. He was an astounding intellectual with remarkable grasp of history and economics, sociology and politics. Yet he rarely appeared in public or even rarely allowed himself to be photographed or interviewed by mass media. In his view nation builders do better things than stand before cameras. Yet he was in politics, in the Rajya Sabha for two terms. But that did not make any difference to his definition of himself. He was an activist, who did what was doable in ten lives in one. Yet massive activity did not interfere with his contemplative genius. He found time amid chaotic activity to think, read and write. He authored innumerable books of originality and high intellectual content — some 50 books in all, 27 in Hindi, 12 in English and 10 in Marathi. He has presented innumerable papers on profound subjects in national and international conferences. He learnt five languages apart from Marathi and English. He founded, inspired, managed and advised over a hundred organisations! And found time for all activities, yet time to talk and chit chat with thousands of ordinary workers! He could discover the 25th hour in the day and the thirteenth month in the year.
What inspired him to such unbelievable mental, physical and intellectual activity beyond all known reserves of human energy? What drove him to attempt and accomplish the un-attempted impossible? The RSS. The much misunderstood and much maligned open air university that trains patriots of high commitment in this country even today. He became the full time pracharak of the RSS at the age of 22 and continued to work full time till he breathed his last. No office attracted him. He could have occupied any position in public life. But for people like him positions added nothing." Excerpts from article written by Sri S.Gurumurthyji after the demise of Dattopantji on October 14th, 2004