KOLKATA: The sacrifice of Ram and Sharad Kothari continues to inspire people to work for the nation and society, while the social service initiatives undertaken in their memory are also worthy of appreciation, said RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale while addressing the Ram-Sharad Kothari Pratibha Samman 2026, organised by the Ram-Sharad Kothari Smriti Sangha at the Alipore National Library Auditorium in Kolkata.
Speaking about the purpose of remembering the Kothari brothers, Hosabale said paying tribute to them should also inspire people to undertake constructive and developmental work for society.
He said meeting people who are engaged in social work, encouraging them, felicitating them and expressing gratitude for their contribution towards society was also a responsibility. He appreciated the work being undertaken by the Ram-Sharad Kothari Smriti Sangha in this direction.
“In the past few decades, I have paid visits to Bangabhoomi and Kolkata several times, but this is the first time people of Bengal are heaving a sigh of relief. They are freely expressing their thoughts. As pointed out that some work has been done and rest will happen, I will urge people to have patience. In any society, a govt that understands the pulse of people and the intention of govt finds support with the public, the state and the nation will truly ‘viksit’.
He said a government that understands the sentiments of society and people who understand the intentions of the government and support its work can together contribute to the development of the State.
“When the government and society move towards the same national goal and towards the development of society, that nation, society and State will certainly develop,” Hosabale said.
Recalling Bengal’s historical role, he referred to the phrase, “What Bengal thinks today, Bharat thinks tomorrow.” He said the desire was to see such a period return and for Bengal to once again contribute to the country in this manner.
Hosabale also appealed for patience of people regarding the implementation of government initiatives, saying that it is not possible to expect all work to be completed within the first year.
Recalling the life of Ram and Sharad Kothari, Hosabale said the two brothers began their association with the RSS as swayamsevaks in Kolkata during their student years. Their personalities, he said, were shaped by the values imparted by their parents, Hiralal ji and Sumitra Devi, and the samskar of the Sangh.
The brothers subsequently took a resolve to participate in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
Recalling October 30, 1990, Hosabale said Ram and Sharad Kothari climbed the dome of disputed structure at Ayodhya and hoisted the saffron flag. Two days later, they were killed in Ayodhya while pursuing the cause to which they had dedicated themselves.
He said their last rites were performed on the banks of the Saryu and described their sacrifice at a young age as an expression of courage, patriotism and devotion to Dharma.
“Ram and Sharad are not physically among us, but the resolve they took and the purpose for which they sacrificed their lives continue to inspire all of us,” Hosabale said.
He said the Kothari brothers had become an enduring part of the tradition of those who worked for the nation and society and made the ultimate sacrifice.
Hosabale also recalled examples from Bharat’s history where brothers dedicated themselves to a common national cause. He referred to the Chapekar brothers Damodar, Balkrishna and Vasudev, recounting their role in the struggle against British rule.
He said the lives of such individuals demonstrate the tradition of collective dedication to the nation and society.
Ramkumar and Sharadkumar Kothari, (Kothari bandhu) brothers from Kolkata, were martyred during the Ram Mandir movement in Ayodhya in 1990. The annual event was organised in their memory to honour individuals and organisations making notable contributions to social development.
At the 2026 event, Ishwarchandra Hembram, Headmaster of Vidyasagar Shishu Shiksha Niketan in Purulia; Ramesh Chandra Mishra, an environmental activist from Odisha; and Dhyan Foundation from Jharkhand were honoured for their contributions to society.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who was also the chief guest said, “After assuming power, we have prioritized providing land to the BSF along our borders. We have implemented the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and enacted stringent laws to protect our mothers, sisters, and daughters. We have launched a campaign against anti-national forces and initiated the process of sending illegal infiltrators back, while also implementing all relevant Central Government laws. We have made the Vande Mataram mandatory in all schools, including registered madrasas.
Adhikari appealed to the audience to come forward without fear and set up ‘gaushalas’ across the state. “This time, Bakrid was celebrated without a hand being raised against the cow. We need more shelters in Bengal beyond the small ones in Purulia, Kolkata and Kharagpur,” he said.
Adhikari said, “Bengal is not only the cultural capital of the nation but also a devotional and spiritual land.
Remembering Ram Kothari and Sharad Kothari’s sacrifice for Sanatan dharma, Adhikari said, “This time, the public saved West Bengal; otherwise, we wouldn’t even know what our condition would have been. I would have had to send my elderly parents to Odisha as the situation would not have been conducive for them to stay here.”
Adhikari said that he was a college student when the Kothari brothers were martyred in Ayodhya in 1992 during the Ram Mandir movement.
“Lalkrishna Advani led the Rath Yatra, but it did not take place in Bengal,” he said. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) held a separate Rath Yatra in his hometown, and he worked as a sevak under ex-MLA Satyabrata Maiti, who was the VHP president for that region.
The CM said Durga Puja will be celebrated with utmost purity this year. “I have urged everyone that Puja inaugurations will not happen during ‘Pitri Paksha’, but during ‘Matri Paksha’, honouring our ancient traditions,” he said. Adhikari reiterated that Uniform Civil Code will be implemented after the commission, headed by retired Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, completes its hearings in a few months.
“Occasions like Durga Puja should retain our Sanatani values, rituals and tradition… No puja will be inaugurated on ‘Pitri Paksha’, as was practised during the TMC rule,” he said.
He said Rs 2,000 crore has been allocated for setting up a pilgrimage circuit from Tarapith to Tarakeswar to promote religious tourism. Adhikari also promised to create more job opportunities and develop the state.
The CM said his government was changing the names of roads to personalities associated with the nation’s heritage and spiritual past, and a committee has been formed in this regard.
