He is remembered for his work among the Bhil tribes of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh whom he organised to fight for their rights to jal, jungle aur jameen (water, forest and land).
Dayal was born at Nivadikalan in the Etawah district of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh in 1905 as the son of Shiv Shankar Lal.
The tribe has undergone significant changes in their lifestyle and cultural practices by embracing vegetarianism, abjuring alcohol and wearing the sacred thread.
[8] Dayal was also the founder of the Bhagat Movement which has been accused in the years following his death of communalising the tribals and promoting their conversion to Hinduism.
[4] Following his death, the Janata Dal was weakened considerably in its strongholds of Banswara and Dungarpur and right wing political forces led by the Sangh Parivar have sought to appropriate his legacy to gain an electoral foothold in the tribal areas and to oppose the activities of Christian missionaries in the region.