Thengadi was a full-time Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh pracharak until his death on 14 October 2004.

[1] Dattatreya Bapurao Thengadi was born in Arvi, Wardha, Maharashtra on 10 November 1920.

At the age of 15, he served as president of the "Vanar Sena" as well as the Municipal High School student union at Arvi.

[3] He was organising secretary of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh for Madhya Pradesh (1952–53) and South India (1956–57).

Thengadi was a member of the Rajya Sabha from Bharatiya Jana Sangh for two terms during 1964–76,[7] also served as its vice-chairman in 1968–70.