Dattopant Bapurao Thengadi was the founder of the world famous Indian trade union, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS.) He is affectionately called Thengadiji. He was born on November 10, 1920 in Arvi village,
Wardha District, in
Maharashtra. After taking his MA and LLB degrees from the Morris College (now Nagpur Mahavidyalaya) in 1942, he dedicated his life to the service of the nation by becoming a pracharak (organizer) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS.)
During 1936-38 he served the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army in Nagpur. In 1949 he joined the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) with a view to study the working of trade unions and the problems of laborers. Later in 1955 he gave birth to the BMS. Thengadiji also formed the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (1979), Samajikasamara Sada Manch (1983), Sarvapadh Samadar Manch (1988) and Swadesi Jagaran Manch (1991). He was also the founder member of Akhila Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Sahakar Bharati, Bharatiya Vichara Kendram, Akhila Bharatiya Adivakta-Abhibhashaka Parishad, Akhila Bharatiya Grahik Panchayat and Bharatiya Vikas Parishad.
He was a member of the Rajya Sabha in the period of 1964-76. He has written 27 books in Hindi, 12 books in English and 3 books in Marathi. The Padmabhushan award presented to him was declined as a protest against the anti-national policy of the Government.
