Acharya Narendra Deva (1889-1956) was one of the leading theorists of the Congress Socialist Party. His democratic socialism renounced violent means as a matter of principle, and embraced the satyagraha as a revolutionary tactic. 1889 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1956 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Congress Socialist Party was founded in 1934 as a socialist caucus within the Indian National Congress. ... Democratic socialism is a broad political movement propagating the ideals of socialism within the context of a democratic system. ... Satyagraha (Sanskrit: truth + grasp/hold) is the philosophy of nonviolent resistance most famously employed by Mohandas Gandhi in forcing an end to the British Raj and also against apartheid in South Africa. ...

Deva was first drawn to nationalism around 1915 under the influence of B G Tilak and Aurobindo Ghosh. As a teacher he became interested in Marxism and Buddhism. He was also active in the Hindi language movement. He was a key leader of Congress Socialist Party from its founding in 1934, and was imprisoned several times during the freedom struggle. He was at various times a member of the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly, and after 1948 served as vice-chancellor of Lucknow University. 1915 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... ... Marxism is the political practice and social theory based on the works of Karl Marx, a 19th century German philosopher, economist, journalist, and revolutionary, along with Friedrich Engels. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, who lived between approximately 566 and 486 BCE. Originating in India, Buddhism gradually spread throughout Asia to Central Asia... Hindi (हिन्दी) is a language spoken in most states in northern and central India. ... 1934 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: उत्तर प्रदेश, Urdu: اتر پردیش), also popularly known by its acronym UP, is the fifth largest and the most populous state in India. ... 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Narendra Deva advocated the abolition of poverty and exploitation not just through his belief in the Marxist materialist dialectic, but especially on moral and humanistic grounds. Furthermore, he insisted that "without political democracy social democracy was a sham". Deva was active in the peasant movement and served as president of the All-India Kisan Congress. He was also an atheist, rejecting the glorification of God which, he argued, by implication denigrated humankind.

He remained associated with the Socialist Party and its successor, the Praja Socialist Party, until his death in 1956. Socialist Party has been the name of several political parties in India, all of which have their roots in the Congress Socialist Party formed during the freedom struggle. ... The Praja Socialist Party was an Indian political party in existence from 1952 to 1972. ... 1956 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology was named in his honour in 1975. 1975 was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ...

References

• Chowdhuri, Satyabrata Rai, 1976. Leftist Movements in India: 1917-1947. Calcutta: Minerva Associates.
• Gupta, Asha, 1987. Socialism in Theory and Practice: Narendra Deva’s Contribution. New Delhi: Gitanjali Publishing House.