Seshadriji is no more

Seshadriji is no more
From Our Correspondent

Veteran Sangh leader and Akhil Bharatiya Pracharak Pramukh of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Hongasandra Venkataramaiah Seshadri, popularly known as H.V. Seshadri, passed away at 6.57 p.m. in Bangalore on August 14. He was 81. He was unwell for the last few days and was hospitalised following fracture in his thigh. RSS Sarkaryavah Shri Mohan Bhagwat, Sahsarkaryavah Shri Madan Das and Shri Suresh Soni were beside him when he breathed his last at Keshav Krupa, the Karnataka Prant Sangh Karyalaya in Bangalore.

Seshadriji had a fall after the prarthana at Prashanti Kutiram Sangh shakha on July 17 and fractured his thigh. He was operated upon on July 21. He was discharged from hospital on July 28 and was brought to Keshav Krupa. On August 5, when he developed breathing problem and his blood pressure dropped, he was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Later, he was kept on a ventilator due to breathing problem, blood pressure and infection. A Mahamritunjay jaap and ayushmaya yajna were also performed in Bangalore on August 11 for the recovery of Seshadriji.

As the news of Seshadriji'spassing away spread in the city, thousands of Swayamsevaks and workers of various social and political organisations, thronged Keshav Krupa for a last darshan and to pay tribute. Senior Sangh adhikaris including Sarsangha-chalak Shri K.S. Sudarshan, and leaders of other RSS associate organisations rushed to Bangalore to pay homage.

He was cremated at the Chamajapet crematorium in Bangalore on August 15 with full honour. The funeral procession was about 2 k.m long. Thousands of Swayamsevaks participated in the funeral procession. The nephew of Seshadriji, Dr H.R. Nagendra, performed the last rites. The dignitaries present at the funeral included RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri K.S. Sudar-shan, Sarkaryavah Shri Mohan Bhagwat, Sahsarkaryavah Shri Madan Das, Shri Suresh Joshi, and Shri Suresh Soni, former Prime Minister Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee, BJP president Shri L.K. Advani, senior BJP leader Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi, former union minister Shri Rajnath Singh, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Babulal Gaur, Jharkhand Chief Minister Shri Arjun Munda, BJP leaders Pramod Mahajan, Prof. Bal Apte and Ved Prakash Goel, VHP president Shri Ashok Singhal, SJM leaders Shri S Gurumurthy and Muralidhar Rao, Haribhau Vaze, Sadanand Kakade, Shri Brahmdev Sharma ?Bhaiji?, organising secretary of Vidya Bharati and other elders of Sangh and its associate organisations. Last respects were also paid by NDA Convenor Shri George Fernandes and senior Congress leader Shri C.K. Jaffer Sheriff at Keshav Krupa.

Born in Bangalore in 1926, Seshadriji was a reputed thinker, writer and dedicated social worker. He had a brilliant scholastic career and secured top grade throughout. He completed his Master'sdegree in chemistry from Bangalore (then Mysore) University with a gold medal. He became Sangh Pracharak in 1946 and since then had continuously been traveling through the length and breadth of the country to promote a plethora of social service activities and nationalist causes, providing inspiration and guidance to a whole generation of youth. Initially he was a Pracharak at Bangalore and later of the Mangalore zone during 1953-56. In 1960 he became the Prant Pracharak for Karnataka and in 1980 became the Kshetriya Pracharak (south zone) to co-ordinate the Sangh activities in the four southern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. He rose to the position of Akhil Bharatiya Sahsarkaryavah and subsequently became Sarkaryavah in 1987. He continued in that high office for nine years and after that he worked as Akhil Bharatiya Pracharak Pramukh.

Having been constantly in touch with various segments of society and equipped with a sensitive mind, H.V. Seshadri became a prolific writer and contributed articles for several decades to Vikrama weekly, Utthana monthly, Organiser weekly, Panchajanya Hindi weekly and periodicals in virtually all major languages. His writings were highly popular and thousands of readers eagerly awaited his articles. He developed a unique style of his own, combining analytical skill and felicity of expression. He made name as an orator too and his lectures have always been a treat for listeners.

He wrote numerous books including Yugavatara (on Shivaji), Amma Bagilu Tege (Essays), Chintanaganga, Tragic Story of Partition, Bhugilu (on Emergency struggle). His Torberalu, a collection of essays with social themes, won the Karnataka State Sahitya Akademi Award in 1982. His other work includes RSS?A Vision in Action. He wrote hundreds of articles on current social themes and authored countless topical books and booklets. Many of his writings have been translated into various other languages. He made a major contribution in communicating nationalist thoughts and the Sangh ideology to the masses.

As a special invitee, he addressed the World Hindu Conference in New York in 1984 and Hindu Sangam at Bradford (U.K.) in the same year. Though occupying the highest office in the Sangh, he led a simple, austere life, being ever accessible to one and all, exemplifying the ideal of simple living and high thinking.