How much will RSS change in the new century?

RSS is preparing to mark its centenary with global campaigns and shifts.

- ALOK MEHTA NEW DELHI

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will, from this Vijayadashami (2 October), launch a national and international campaign marking its centenary year and preparing for the coming decades. It is true that the Sangh has changed with the times and challenges, but its commitment to Hindutva and Indian culture has remained constant.

The RSS is known as a Hindu nationalist, volunteer organisation. On 27 September 1925, Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar founded the organisation on Vijayadashami. There is no doubt that it is now considered the world's largest volunteer organisation. The RSS itself claims one crore members. It is also seen as the parent body of the BJP, the country's largest political party. In today's era, not just Indian society but the global community is watching the functioning and future of these organisations.

The RSS has established itself in India as a strong ideological and organisational force. Its decades-long shakhas, disciplined volunteers, and socially oriented programmes all give it a distinct identity. Yet with time, the Sangh has had to show flexibility in its image and thinking. From changing its uniform to adjusting ideas, the RSS has shown its willingness to move with the times. The Sangh's real strength lies in its shakhas. In thousands of villages, towns, and cities of India, daily shakhas form the organisation's backbone. In the past decade, the number of shakhas has grown rapidly, with membership reaching close to one crore. Data shows that between 2014 and 2024, nearly 30% new shakhas were set up.