“When the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was founded in 1925, there were no posts, no leaders, and no secretaries. Yet, the Sangh remained faithful to its ideals and nurtured the sapling of the Sangh into a banyan tree. This is an organic phenomenon. The Sangh has been working for the unity and integrity of Bharat. The shakhas are the Sangh’s strength,” said J Nandakumar, National Convenor of Prajna Pravah, at the RSS Vijayadashami celebration held at Narasamma College campus, Kiran Nagar area, Amravati Metropolitan, on October 5.
Nandakumar Ji said that during the freedom struggle, Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, while pursuing his medical studies, actively worked in the Anushilan Samiti. This Samiti was an organisation of people working in various fields, and Dr. Hedgewar Ji’s contribution to it was invaluable. When Dr Hedgewar was researching the causes of the country’s subjugation, he observed a society divided by language, region, and caste. It was then that he resolved to work for Vyakti Nirman (individual character building).
Referring to Swami Vivekananda, he said, Swamiji, in his speeches abroad, urged the world to worship only one deity—Bharat Mata. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar also referred to Bharatiya culture and its values in a research paper presented at a foreign university.
Nandakumar Ji said that the sapling of the Sangh, established in 1925, is today reflected in the banyan tree. No political ideology is the strength of the Sangh; its strength lies in the daily one-hour shakha, which is the centre of its power. Sangh swayamsevaks have spontaneously taken action in areas where they perceived deficiencies, and from these efforts emerged various dedicated organisations such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, and others.
The Sangh is often criticised for its involvement in the freedom struggle. However, during that period, swayamsevaks participated wholeheartedly. Swayamsevaks like Ramakant Deshpande even sacrificed their lives in the freedom struggle at Ashti, Chimur.
The Sangh swayamsevaks, who have been working tirelessly for 100 years, have today reached the nation’s highest position — that of the Prime Minister — through their struggle. Dedication and selfless service are the keys to this success. By implementing the Panch Parivartan (Five Transformations), it is essential to revive the values of Hindu culture in every family. These values should be inculcated through bhajans, meals, and pilgrimages.
Dr Kamaltai Gavai, who was unable to attend the event, sent a congratulatory message for Vijayadashami and the Sangh Centenary. She said, “Human life has evolved through human values. Bharatiya culture and civilisation are the best in the world. Bharat has been a model for the world since ancient times—religiously, culturally, and educationally. Tathagata Buddha, Vardhamana Mahavira, Emperor Ashoka, Saint Kabir, Saint Tukaram, Mahatma Phule, Savitribai Phule, Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, Ramaswami Periyar, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, and many other great personalities have created a great tradition of nurturing human values in India.”
“Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar created the Indian Constitution based on equality, liberty, fraternity, justice, a scientific outlook, and secularism, which today propels Bharat and its citizens toward development. Bharat, a nation of social, cultural, and linguistic diversity, continues to progress with democratic values at its core. We must build Bharat into a united and capable nation, and this is possible only through equality, liberty, fraternity, justice, a scientific outlook, and secularism”, she further wrote.
“The swayamsevaks of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh have a great opportunity to develop Bharat into a capable nation through these human and constitutional values. Today, October 5, 2025, as the centenary Vijayadashami festival of the Sangh is being celebrated, I am unable to attend the event due to some unavoidable reasons. My heartfelt best wishes for this occasion,” she wrote in her message.
At the beginning of the Vijayadashami Utsav, Shastra Pujan was performed. During the Path Sanchalan, residents of the city welcomed the swayamsevaks with flower showers at various locations.
Vibhag Sanghchalak Chandrashekhar Bhondu and Mahanagar Sanghchalak Ulhas Baporikar were present on the occasion.
