Joshi later became the Union Human Resources & Development Minister in the National Democratic Alliance government.

[6][7] Joshi had his early education in Chandpur, district Bijnor and in Almora, from where his family hails.

[9] Joshi came in contact with the RSS in Delhi at a young age and took part in the Cow Protection Movement in 1953–54, in the Kumbh Kisan Andolan of UP in 1955,[10] demanding halving of land revenue assessment.

As General Secretary of BJP, he was directly in charge of Bihar, Bengal and North-Eastern States.

Later, when BJP formed a government in India under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Joshi served as the Human Resource Development Minister in the cabinet.

[11] The rally's final stop to hoist the Indian flag in Jammu and Kashmir on 26 January 1992 was considered unsuccessful, with minimal local participation.

[12] Joshi is known to have been influenced by the life and work of Babasaheb Ambedkar, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Deendayal Upadhyaya.

[14][15] He was a sitting MP from Varanasi and he vacated that seat for Narendra Modi in 2014 Lok Sabha Elections.