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, RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale said that paying tribute to their sacrifice should also inspire society to undertake constructive and developmental work.
He said meeting people engaged in social work, encouraging them, felicitating them and expressing gratitude for their contribution to society is also a responsibility. He appreciated the work being undertaken by the Ram-Sharad Kothari Smriti Sangha in this direction.
Recalling the contribution of Ram and Sharad Kothari, Hosabale said the two brothers had begun their association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh as swayamsevaks in Kolkata during their student years. Their personalities, he said, were shaped by the samskar imparted by their parents, Hiralal ji and Sumitra Devi, and the values of the Sangh.
The brothers later resolved to participate in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Recalling October 30, 1990, Hosabale said Ram and Sharad Kothari climbed the dome of the disputed structure in 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 dedicated themselves to the nation and society and made the ultimate sacrifice.
Hosabale also recalled several examples from Bharat’s history where brothers dedicated themselves to a common national cause. Referring to the Chapekar brothers -Damodar, Balkrishna and Vasudev, he recalled their role in the struggle against British rule.
He also referred to the Savarkar brothers and the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh ji, saying that Bharat’s history is replete with examples of brothers who displayed extraordinary courage and dedication in the service of the nation and Dharma.
He said such lives demonstrate the tradition of collective dedication to the nation and society. While the freedom fighters and revolutionaries showed how to sacrifice one’s life for the nation, society must also learn how to dedicate its life to the nation through continuous service and constructive work.
Recalling Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar’s emphasis on dedicated national service, Hosabale said the remembrance of those who sacrificed their lives should not remain confined to commemorative programmes. Their lives should inspire people to dedicate themselves to the service of society and the nation.
Speaking about Bengal, Hosabale said that during his visits to Bangabhoomi and Kolkata over the past several decades, he had not previously witnessed the same degree of openness in which people were freely expressing their thoughts.
“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,” he said.
Observing that some work had already begun and more remained to be done, Hosabale appealed to people to have patience. He said it is not realistic to expect all government initiatives to be completed within the first year.
He said a government that understands the sentiments and aspirations of society, and a society that understands the intentions of the government and supports constructive 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.
He said that when the aspirations of society and the objectives of the government move in the same direction, the process of development gains greater strength. He urged people to give sufficient time to the government to fulfil its commitments and said that society has every right to question the government if promised work remains incomplete after a reasonable period.
Recalling Bengal’s historic contribution to the nation’s intellectual, cultural and national life, Hosabale referred to the well-known expression, “What Bengal thinks today, Bharat thinks tomorrow.” He said there is a desire to see such an era return, with Bengal once again making a significant contribution to the country’s progress.
He also linked the remembrance of the Kothari brothers with this larger responsibility, saying that honouring their sacrifice must go beyond remembering their martyrdom and should inspire individuals and organisations to work for the welfare of society and the nation.
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.
