Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ( RSS) was founded by Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar (Doctor ji) on Vijayadashami day in the year 1925 with very few people in Rashimbagh Maidan, Nagpur with the hope of protecting the interests of the people who consider Hinduism not as a religion but as a way of life, the Indian race, the Indian people as the form of Mother India and India as their motherland. It is heartening to see that the RSS is celebrating its centenary as it enters its 100th year tomorrow on the day of Vijayadashami. Having successfully run an organization for a hundred years without any membership registration and identity cards, today it has about 80 lakhs swayamsevaks not only in the country but also in the world, running 45 lakh Sanghastan branches and conducting nearly two lakh service programs without any internal strife and splits as the world’s largest social service organization . The journey of RSS can be considered as a milestone in world history.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangam was what Doctor ji had in mind when Dr. Hedgewar participated in the independence movement against the British government, was detained for a year in the Akola Jail in Vidarbha for a year in 1921.
Dr. Hedgewar from 1925 to 1940, Madhava Sadashiva Golwalkar (Guruji) from 1940 to 1973 and Madhukar Dattatreya Devaras from 1973 to 1993 served as Sir Sangha Chalakas and devoted their lives to spreading the RSS like a great tree all over India. The main objective of RSS is to produce true patriots who can live as good human beings in the society, healthy, cultured, who can serve the country in times of crisis, without differences of caste, caste, class, color, language and region, who work under the Bhagavadwaja. In accordance with this goal, in the sangasthan of the RSS , firstly flag hoisting, asanas, yoga, sports, games, karra samu, community welfare suggestions, speeches on Indian history and cultural traditions, building good relations with each other and lastly prayer are done regularly. Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Maha Sanga, Arogya Bharati, Vidya Bharati, Swadeshi Jagarana Manch , Vanavasi Kalyana Ashram, Sanskara Bharati, Bharatiya Janata Party, Vishwahindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, Rashtriya Sevika Samiti etc. representing farmers, students, employees, traders, workers, lawyers, doctors, backward and were considered as affiliated organizations of RSS and named as Sangha Parivar. All these organizations are autonomous and they are working in their respective fields, but in necessary cases advice and suggestions are received from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha.
During the partition of the country between 1947-48, India-China war in 1962, India-Pakistan war in 1972, Bhuj earthquake in Gujarat, Diviseema typhoon in Andhra Pradesh in 1975, and earthquakes, floods, train accidents, droughts, etc. and the service activities undertaken by the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangam during different types of calamities especially during the corona calamity of 2020 have received appreciation across the country. It is worth remembering that the then Prime Minister Pandit Nehru invited RSS volunteers to participate in the Republic Day parade in 1963, recognizing the services of the RSS during the India-China war in 1962. The proof that RSS is not against any political party is Mahatma Gandhi, Madan Mohan Malaviya, General Kariappa, General Manik Shah, Dr. BR Ambedkar, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, PV Narasimha Rao, Pranab Mukherjee, Dr. Abdul Kalam etc. who visited sangasthans and praised RSS on various occasions. RSS is not against Muslims or Christians, anyone who has respect, admiration and love for the country and is ready to serve can join RSS. Apart from men in RSS, women also participate in many service programs under the auspices of Rashtriya Sevika Samiti.
Around 4000 RSS Pracharaks (full-time workers) are monitoring RSS programs not only across the country but also in many countries of the world. Deena Dayal Upadhyay, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Murali Manohar Joshi, Narendra Modi, nearly half of the ministers in the union cabinet, and several state Chief Ministers, Ministers and public representatives of the country, including Telangana Chief Minister Shri Revanth Reddy, were inspired by the RSS.
(On the occasion of commencement of RSS centenary celebrations on Vijayadashami day)
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