In 2025, the RSS will mark its 100th anniversary with large-scale events that showcase its evolution into a powerful political and social force. Its political and social activities have made it one of the most powerful forces in India’s modern era.
In the decades following independence, the RSS established or supported numerous affiliated organisations, collectively known as the Sangh Parivar, to extend its influence across Indian society. This network includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
Social and community work
Disaster relief: The RSS is widely recognized for its organised and extensive volunteer efforts during and after natural disasters across India. Its affiliated humanitarian organisation, Seva Bharati, has provided aid, food, shelter, and medical care during events such as the 2001 Bhuj earthquake, the 2004 tsunami, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Even critics have acknowledged the scale and efficiency of the RSS’s relief work.
Rural and tribal development: Through organisations like Seva Bharati and Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, the RSS has initiated social service projects in rural and tribal areas. These efforts include healthcare initiatives, educational programs, and projects aimed at self-reliance for underprivileged communities.
Volunteering and discipline: The organization’s daily shakhas (local branches) focus on instilling discipline, character-building, and selfless service (seva) among its members, who are trained for volunteer work.
Education
Extensive school network: The RSS’s educational wing, Vidya Bharati, runs one of India’s largest private school networks, with thousands of schools across the country. This network includes Ekal Vidyalayas (one-teacher schools) in remote tribal areas to provide basic education.
Focus on Indian culture: These schools aim to provide “India-centric” education that promotes traditional Hindu values, patriotism, and culture.
Cultural and nationalistic activities
Cultural preservation: The RSS advocates for preserving and promoting what it defines as Indian—or specifically Hindu—culture and heritage. Supporters credit the organization with keeping a sense of patriotism alive during British rule and protecting Indian identity.
Advocacy for national defense: During periods of conflict, such as the Sino-Indian War in 1962 and the Indo-Pakistani War in 1965, the RSS offered its support to the Indian government.
Resistance against colonial powers: RSS volunteers participated in the movement to liberate Dadra and Nagar Haveli from Portuguese occupation in 1954.
My personal Association with RSS
I grew up in Allahabad (now Prayagraj) when its famous University was known as the Oxford of India. Our house was situated right next door to ‘Ananda’ the residence of the legendary Professor Rajendra Singh, better known as Rajju Bhaiyya. To me, of course, he was Rajju Chacha ji.
Before dedicating himself to the RSS full-time, Rajju Bhaiya was an accomplished nuclear physicist. He served as a popular professor and head of the Department of Physics at Allahabad University. His brilliance was recognized by Nobel laureate CV Raman, who offered him a fellowship for advanced research.
Rajju Bhaiya, was the fourth Sarsanghchalak (Chief) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). His historical role in India was defined by his leadership of the RSS from 1994 to 2000, during a crucial period that saw the organization’s greater influence on Indian politics. His leadership is noted for bringing the RSS into a more prominent and public-facing role in Indian politics.
He became involved with the RSS during the Quit India Movement in 1942. In 1966, he resigned from his university post to become a full-time RSS pracharak (organizer), starting in Uttar Pradesh.
During the state of emergency in India from 1975 to 1977, Rajju Bhaiya went underground, playing a crucial role in the resistance movement against authoritarian rule. He organized a human rights convention in Delhi in 1976 to protest the suspension of fundamental rights.
As Sarsanghchalak (1994–2000)
Rajju Bhaiyya became the head of the RSS in 1994 and is noted as the only non-Brahmin to have held the position. His tenure ended in 2000 due to his failing health. His tenure as Sarsanghchalak coincided with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) first term in power at the center, with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as prime minister in 1998. He institutionalized greater transparency within the RSS by implementing a system of written and statistical reporting.
He was known for his broad appeal across the political spectrum and focused on intellectual outreach to project the RSS as a more transparent organization. Rajju Bhaiya fostered outreach and dialogue with a wider range of people, including journalists, intellectuals, and political leaders across ideological lines. Rajju Bhaiya was known for building bridges with leaders across the political spectrum, which allowed him to navigate political complexities and give the Vajpayee government breathing room during coalition politics.
As RSS chief, his tenure coincided with the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power at the national level for the first time. He was an influential figure in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and is known to have persuaded the BJP to support Mayawati as the first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in a step toward social harmony.
He was a strong advocate of swadeshi (self-reliance) and rural development. He initiated programs focused on making villages self-sufficient in food, healthcare, and education.
Legacy of Rajju Bhaiyya
Rajju Bhaiya’s path from a distinguished scientist to a nationalist leader is often highlighted as a notable aspect of his legacy. He will always be remembered for his humble and affable personality, which helped him build connections across the political spectrum. He will also be remembered for his liberal thinking and for modernizing the RSS, broadening its scope beyond its traditional base. No wonder that he mentored a generation of leaders who would later play significant roles in Indian politics.
Conclusion
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has articulated its vision for India’s next century around themes of cultural revitalization, self-reliance, social harmony, and global guidance, often expressed through its “Panch Parivartan” (five transformations) initiative. The vision is framed around the core ideal of Hindutva and promotes India as a Vishwaguru, or world leader guided by its ancient spiritual values. The RSS believes India has a divine duty to guide the world towards a new, more virtuous path, moving beyond what it sees as the limitations of purely economic or scientific revolutions. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has called for India to embrace its cultural and spiritual identity to lead the modern world, not just through power, but through values. The vision aims for a self-confident and globally significant India that contributes to global peace and harmony by offering an alternative model of development. The RSS centenary is not just a commemoration of the past but a platform for future growth—for building a self-reliant Bharat, free from colonial influence, which will bring benefits for generations to come
