October 2, 2025

On September 27, 1925, a lively spark was lit in Nagpur by doctor-turned-freedom fighter Keshav Baliram Hedgewar. Gathering a small group of young men, mostly teenagers, at his home, he made an exciting announcement: "We are inaugurating Sangh today." This modest start was no surprise to those who knew "doctorji." Hedgewar's dream was big—to build a strong Hindu society by building strong characters. Just two and a half years before, he experimented with a group called Rashtriya Swayamsevak Mandal in Wardha to find the best way to change society. The new Sangh began simply with monthly 'baithaks' (meetings) in Hedgewar's home. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat shares in his book 'Future Bharat' how attendance grew from a casual few to needing weekly, then daily meetings to make attendance a habit. Soon, the shakha (branch) moved outdoors to an open ground where young swayamsevaks enjoyed physical activities like drills led by Hedgewar’s friend, ex-military man Marthand Jog. Donning khaki shorts, white shirts, and carrying a lathi became the swayamsevak’s cool new uniform! But what should the group be called? When newcomers started asking, Hedgewar told the swayamsevaks to decide themselves. On April 17, just six months after starting, sixteen of them met and voted in favor of the name Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). This collective decision-making became a Sangh tradition. Formal leadership roles like Sarsanghchalak (Chief), Sarkaryavah (General Secretary), and Sarsenapati (Chief Trainer) took shape only after four years. In a memorable 1929 meeting, when Hedgewar was honored as Sarsanghchalak, he humbly refused the praise, but was gently convinced to accept for the organization's sake. From its tiny beginnings in a small house in Nagpur, today RSS stands tall as the world’s biggest voluntary group, with over one lakh daily, weekly, and monthly shakhas across India. It’s not just one organization—RSS inspired 32 prominent groups including Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, and the BJP. The road was tough. After independence, RSS faced bans three times—after Mahatma Gandhi's assassination in 1948, during the Emergency in 1975, and following the Babri mosque demolition. Thousands of swayamsevaks were jailed, but their spirit never wavered. Now, celebrating 100 vibrant years, RSS is ready to ramp up with a nationwide door-to-door campaign and over one lakh Hindu sammelans, starting with Mohan Bhagwat’s Vijayadashmi speech in Nagpur. As former BJP MP Rakesh Sinha notes, the RSS 'shakha' is an "ideological center for an intellectual movement," where India's youth strengthen their commitment to the nation. With BJP’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a former RSS pracharak, at the helm, the Sangh looks to the future with energy and a strong mission. RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale declared at a recent event, "We have to strengthen Bharat's vimarsh (narrative) within the country and across the global stage as well." He also urged everyone to support 'swadeshi' products to make India self-reliant under the RSS’s 'Panch Parivartan' (five-fold transformation) agenda. From a quiet get-together in 1925 to a powerhouse shaping India’s heart and soul, the RSS story is a thrilling saga of passion, perseverance, and patriotism!

Read More at Economictimes →

Tags: Rss centenary, Keshav baliram hedgewar, Swayamsevaks, Mohan bhagwat, Indian politics, Hindu society,