SEVA, SANSKAR, SANGATHAN: THE RSS AT 100

Hundred years into its foundation, the message of the Sangh remains resonant even for contemporary times. Service is not charity but duty. Unity is not sameness but fraternity. A nation is not only a political contract but also a civilisational inheritance.

- KARTIKEYA SHARMA

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) enters its centenary in 2025, and the moment invites reflection not only on its contemporary role but also on its lesser-known journey through India's freedom struggle and nation-building.

The Sangh recently marked the occasion with a three-day lecture series at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi, where Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat spoke of unity, inclusivity, and India's role as a guiding civilisation. "Hindu is one who respects all paths," he reminded the audience, adding that India's DNA has remained one for forty thousand years.

In his view, Hindu Rashtra is not an exclusionary slogan but an affirmation of harmony—"our culture is to live in unity, not conflict."

Often spoken of only through the lens of politics, the Sangh is better understood as an idea—an attempt to forge national unity through disciplined character and quiet service.

The story of Sangh began with a young doctor. As a medical student in Calcutta, he found himself drawn into revolutionary circles that defied colonial authority.

That early exposure to discipline, secrecy, and sacrifice would later shape his vision of building a cultural organisation rooted in character and service.

In 1921, he was arrested for delivering a fiery speech during the Non-Cooperation Movement and sentenced to prison.

Throughout the 1920s, he participated actively in Congress Satyagrahas.

However, over time, he became convinced that while agitation could stir the masses, it could not by itself produce the disciplined citizenry needed to sustain freedom once it was won.

This vision led him to conceive a movement aimed at cultivating such discipline and dedication among citizens.

He was no other than Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the founder of the RSS, whose contribution laid the foundation for this enduring organisation.