RSS at 100 : A Century of Seva, Discipline and Nation-Building
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Nishikant Singh Sapam
As the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh turns 100 I would like to take this opportunity to pen down my thoughts…..
I grew up among friends from different faiths and backgrounds, never once feeling that we were different from one another. I have always been a proud Hindu, and my best friend was from another faith. His family I considered my own, and he would often tell me with warmth: “You are my brother from another mother.”
I was fortunate to represent India in the Asian Basketball Championship (Under-19) in 1982 at Manila, Philippines. Wearing the tricolour and standing with my teammates was one of the proudest moments of my life. I remember how deeply I felt whenever anyone said anything against India — I reacted instantly, not just as a player defending his team, but as a son of Bharat defending his motherland. That emotion, that instinctive pride, has stayed with me always.
At a time when Christians were persecuted in Muslim-dominated regions and vice versa, Bharat — an ancient Hindu civilisation — opened her arms to all. The first mosque in India was built in Kodungallur, Kerala in the 7th century. The Christians (arriving in the 1st century CE), the Jews (as early as the 1st century CE), and the Parsis/Zoroastrians (in the 7th century CE) were all welcomed with dignity and freedom by the Hindus of Akhand Bharat. What could be more inclusive, more secular, than this spirit of acceptance ?
Our ancient civilisation, Akhand Bharat, stretched from Afghanistan to Indonesia, bound together by the deep and unshakable roots of Hindu culture. Even the great epics remind us of this unity. Gandhari, the mother of the Kauravas in the Mahabharat, was a princess of Gandhar (present-day Kandahar in Afghanistan). Across Asia, Indians, irrespective of faiths, were recognised as “Hindi” or “Hindu,” a marker of cultural identity rooted in this civilisation. Just as an elephant born in Africa is called an African elephant, or a lion born in India is called an Indian lion — so too, every being born in this sacred land is an Indian first.
Akhand Bharat was built not by conquest, but by our deep-rooted culture, the Hindu Culture — a culture that teaches us to embrace all as our own.
I once had the opportunity to meet a very senior and learned RSS Pracharak. What he told me has remained etched in my mind:
“Sabse pyaar karo phir dekho seva karne mein kitna maza hai.”
(Love everyone, and then see how much joy there is in serving them.)
That single sentence, to me, captures the real spirit of the RSS. Not aggression, not exclusion, but love — and through love, service.
Later, I had the opportunity to interact with more RSS pracharaks. What struck me was how naturally their thoughts and values resonated with my own. I realised that, without ever attending a single shakha, I had been living with the same ideology all along — of loving everyone, serving society, and taking pride in Bharat. As we say: “Mann ke milne se dil bhi mil jaate hain.”
The Rashtriya Swayam-sevak Sangh (RSS) was founded on 27 September 1925 in Nagpur by Shri Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar ji, with the vision to in-still discipline, patriotism, and cultural pride in a nation then under colonial rule.
Today, on 2 October 2025, following the lunar calendar, the RSS completes its 100 glorious years. When asked about its achievements, a Pracharak once remarked: “The greatest achievement is that the shakhas have multiplied and our convictions remain unshaken.” Indeed, from a handful in 1925, the Sangh today has 1,27,367 shakhas across Bharat.
Dr. Hedgewar ji believed that Bharat’s strength lay in unity and character. The RSS was never conceived as a political party, but as a cultural and social movement dedicated to uniting society. Its daily shakhas — simple gatherings for exercise, training, and discussion — laid the foundation for committed citizens who place the nation above self.
Over a century, the RSS has created a vast family of affiliated organisations, collectively known as the Sangh Parivar. Today, the RSS is the largest voluntary organisation in the world. Its 2024–25 Annual Report notes that it has over One Crore swayamsevaks (volunteers) actively engaged across the nation.
The RSS works in education, labour, agriculture, rural development, health, sports and — most importantly — in the revival of Bharat’s cultural identity.
The spirit of Seva hi Param Dharma (Service is the highest duty) is best seen in times of crisis. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 5,07,655 swayamsevaks set up relief Camps at 92,656 locations, distributing 4.66 crore food packets. In every natural calamity — be it floods, earthquakes, or cyclones — swayamsevaks are often the first on the ground, setting up camps, distributing supplies, and helping families rebuild.
What is remarkable is that the RSS does not seek credit. For swayamsevaks, every act of service is an offering to Bharat Mata — and therefore publicity is unnecessary. The work speaks for itself.
As part of its centenary year initiatives, the RSS has launched the Panch Parivartan programme, focusing on five areas of social transformation:
1) Social Harmony (Samajik Samarasata) : Promoting equality and unity across communities.
2) Family Enlightenment (Kutumb Prabodhan) : Strengthening families through shared values.
3) Civic Duties (Nagrik Kartavya) : Encouraging respect for the Constitution and laws.
4) Environmental Conservation (Paryavaran Sanrakshan) : Protecting natural resources and sustainable living.
5) Selfhood (Swa-Bhav Jagran) : Pride in cultural heritage and self-reliance.
These five areas highlight the transformations needed for Bharat to progress into a cohesive, responsible, and sustainable future.
The Philosophy of Hindutva
As the Supreme Court itself has observed, Hinduism means different things to different people — for some it is a religion, for some a way of life, and for others a culture. In fact, the term “Hinduism” was a nomenclature imposed by outsiders during colonial times. What we in Bharat have always lived is Hindutva — the Indian version, the cultural essence of this land.
At its core, Hindutva is not about exclusion, but about a shared civilisational culture that binds us together. It reminds us that the nation comes first — that every Indian, whether Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Parsi, or Jew, must accept India as their land and be Indian first.
This, to me, is the spirit of the Sangh. It is the spirit of Bharat. A vision that unites, not divides; that serves, not seeks; and that always places Bharat Mata above the self.
The RSS, at 100, is not merely an organisation but a living idea: to love, to serve, and to build a nation rooted in its eternal civilisation.
As the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh turns 100 I would like to take this opportunity to pen down my thoughts…..
I grew up among friends from different faiths and backgrounds, never once feeling that we were different from one another. I have always been a proud Hindu, and my best friend was from another faith. His family I considered my own, and he would often tell me with warmth: “You are my brother from another mother.”
I was fortunate to represent India in the Asian Basketball Championship (Under-19) in 1982 at Manila, Philippines. Wearing the tricolour and standing with my teammates was one of the proudest moments of my life. I remember how deeply I felt whenever anyone said anything against India — I reacted instantly, not just as a player defending his team, but as a son of Bharat defending his motherland. That emotion, that instinctive pride, has stayed with me always.
At a time when Christians were persecuted in Muslim-dominated regions and vice versa, Bharat — an ancient Hindu civilisation — opened her arms to all. The first mosque in India was built in Kodungallur, Kerala in the 7th century. The Christians (arriving in the 1st century CE), the Jews (as early as the 1st century CE), and the Parsis/Zoroastrians (in the 7th century CE) were all welcomed with dignity and freedom by the Hindus of Akhand Bharat. What could be more inclusive, more secular, than this spirit of acceptance ?
Our ancient civilisation, Akhand Bharat, stretched from Afghanistan to Indonesia, bound together by the deep and unshakable roots of Hindu culture. Even the great epics remind us of this unity. Gandhari, the mother of the Kauravas in the Mahabharat, was a princess of Gandhar (present-day Kandahar in Afghanistan). Across Asia, Indians, irrespective of faiths, were recognised as “Hindi” or “Hindu,” a marker of cultural identity rooted in this civilisation. Just as an elephant born in Africa is called an African elephant, or a lion born in India is called an Indian lion — so too, every being born in this sacred land is an Indian first.
Akhand Bharat was built not by conquest, but by our deep-rooted culture, the Hindu Culture — a culture that teaches us to embrace all as our own.
I once had the opportunity to meet a very senior and learned RSS Pracharak. What he told me has remained etched in my mind:
“Sabse pyaar karo phir dekho seva karne mein kitna maza hai.”
(Love everyone, and then see how much joy there is in serving them.)
That single sentence, to me, captures the real spirit of the RSS. Not aggression, not exclusion, but love — and through love, service.
Later, I had the opportunity to interact with more RSS pracharaks. What struck me was how naturally their thoughts and values resonated with my own. I realised that, without ever attending a single shakha, I had been living with the same ideology all along — of loving everyone, serving society, and taking pride in Bharat. As we say: “Mann ke milne se dil bhi mil jaate hain.”
The Rashtriya Swayam-sevak Sangh (RSS) was founded on 27 September 1925 in Nagpur by Shri Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar ji, with the vision to in-still discipline, patriotism, and cultural pride in a nation then under colonial rule.
Today, on 2 October 2025, following the lunar calendar, the RSS completes its 100 glorious years. When asked about its achievements, a Pracharak once remarked: “The greatest achievement is that the shakhas have multiplied and our convictions remain unshaken.” Indeed, from a handful in 1925, the Sangh today has 1,27,367 shakhas across Bharat.
Dr. Hedgewar ji believed that Bharat’s strength lay in unity and character. The RSS was never conceived as a political party, but as a cultural and social movement dedicated to uniting society. Its daily shakhas — simple gatherings for exercise, training, and discussion — laid the foundation for committed citizens who place the nation above self.
Over a century, the RSS has created a vast family of affiliated organisations, collectively known as the Sangh Parivar. Today, the RSS is the largest voluntary organisation in the world. Its 2024–25 Annual Report notes that it has over One Crore swayamsevaks (volunteers) actively engaged across the nation.
The RSS works in education, labour, agriculture, rural development, health, sports and — most importantly — in the revival of Bharat’s cultural identity.
The spirit of Seva hi Param Dharma (Service is the highest duty) is best seen in times of crisis. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 5,07,655 swayamsevaks set up relief Camps at 92,656 locations, distributing 4.66 crore food packets. In every natural calamity — be it floods, earthquakes, or cyclones — swayamsevaks are often the first on the ground, setting up camps, distributing supplies, and helping families rebuild.
What is remarkable is that the RSS does not seek credit. For swayamsevaks, every act of service is an offering to Bharat Mata — and therefore publicity is unnecessary. The work speaks for itself.
As part of its centenary year initiatives, the RSS has launched the Panch Parivartan programme, focusing on five areas of social transformation:
1) Social Harmony (Samajik Samarasata) : Promoting equality and unity across communities.
2) Family Enlightenment (Kutumb Prabodhan) : Strengthening families through shared values.
3) Civic Duties (Nagrik Kartavya) : Encouraging respect for the Constitution and laws.
4) Environmental Conservation (Paryavaran Sanrakshan) : Protecting natural resources and sustainable living.
5) Selfhood (Swa-Bhav Jagran) : Pride in cultural heritage and self-reliance.
These five areas highlight the transformations needed for Bharat to progress into a cohesive, responsible, and sustainable future.
The Philosophy of Hindutva
As the Supreme Court itself has observed, Hinduism means different things to different people — for some it is a religion, for some a way of life, and for others a culture. In fact, the term “Hinduism” was a nomenclature imposed by outsiders during colonial times. What we in Bharat have always lived is Hindutva — the Indian version, the cultural essence of this land.
At its core, Hindutva is not about exclusion, but about a shared civilisational culture that binds us together. It reminds us that the nation comes first — that every Indian, whether Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Parsi, or Jew, must accept India as their land and be Indian first.
This, to me, is the spirit of the Sangh. It is the spirit of Bharat. A vision that unites, not divides; that serves, not seeks; and that always places Bharat Mata above the self.
The RSS, at 100, is not merely an organisation but a living idea: to love, to serve, and to build a nation rooted in its eternal civilisation.