Remembering Dr Hedgewar in RSS centenary year

Tragically, the neglect of revolutionaries such as Hedgewar in mainstream historiography has allowed a distorted narrative to prevail, which has been exploited by agenda-driven historians.

- SANTISHREE DHULIPUDI PANDIT

As Bharat celebrates the centenary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), it is a moment of reflection on the visionary leadership of Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar.

This milestone fortuitously coincides with the Hindu New Year celebrations of Ugadi and Gudi Padwa, and his 136th birth anniversary, making it an opportune time to revisit his profound contributions to Bharat's resurgence.

He was born in a Telugu family from Kanthipurti in Telangana.

Historically, these festivals signify renewal and revival, which one can symbolically align with Hedgewar's vision of a rejuvenated, self-reliant Bharat.

Tragically, the neglect of revolutionaries such as Hedgewar in mainstream historiography has allowed a distorted narrative to prevail, which has been exploited by agenda-driven historians.

This marginalization has obscured the ideological roots of figures like Hedgewar, who was not merely a thinker but a transformative leader whose ideas of national unity and cultural resurgence remain relevant today.

For such reasons, his legacy calls for a more objective evaluation, free from the distortions of agenda-driven historiography.

This is not just a call for re-evaluation, but a call for intellectual curiosity and open-mindedness, to appreciate his role in shaping a united, self-reliant, and inclusive Bharat.

Inspired by the writings of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Dr Hedgewar joined the Anushilan Samiti early on in his career, essentially revealing his commitment at that early age towards the idea of a nationalist resurgence that was both cultural, social, and political.

He saw the need for an organized Hindu society to withstand colonial oppression and internal divisions.