CENTURY OF SERVICE: RSS AND THE MAKING OF A RESILIENT NATION

A transformative idea arose in the decisive phase of India’s freedom struggle.

- BHAJANLAL SHARMA

Representational Image.

This one idea aimed for liberation not only from foreign rule but from the inner weaknesses that had enabled subjugation. It emphasized rebuilding unity, character, and confidence as the true foundation of a free and self reliant nation.

Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, together with five dedicated companions, recognized that political independence alone would not secure India’s future. What the nation needed was a deeper awakening: the strengthening of character, unity, and disciplined organization within society. With this vision, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was founded on Vijayadashami in 1925 in Nagpur, a modest beginning that has since grown into an expansive movement with a global presence.

Dr. Hedgewar’s devotion to the motherland was evident from his early years. His time in Kolkata, during his medical studies, exposed him to diverse streams of the freedom movement—from revolutionary activism to nonviolent Satyagraha. These experiences convinced him that India’s subjugation stemmed not merely from foreign power, but from internal divisions, narrow identities, and a diminished sense of cultural self-worth.

THE SHAKHA VISION AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTH

To overcome the social divisions and cultural insecurity he believed weakened the nation, Dr. Hedgewar created the Shakha system a daily gathering designed to cultivate discipline, physical fitness, teamwork, and patriotism. Through these steady, formative practices, he envisioned moulding individuals who could contribute to a confident, united, and self-reliant India.