As the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) marks its centenary on Vijayadashami, October 2, 2025, its dedication to India's unity and progress has remained consistent through some of the biggest challenges the country has faced over the last 100 years.
Founded in 1925 by Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar amidst the shadows of colonial subjugation, the RSS was envisioned not as a political entity but as a cultural and social force to instil discipline, service, and national pride among its volunteers-swayamsevaks. Over the past century, its contributions have woven seamlessly into the fabric of India's nation-building journey, from shielding the vulnerable during cataclysmic upheavals to fostering cultural resurgence and selfless aid in times of crisis. This is no mere chronicle of events- it is a narrative of quiet resolve that has shaped a resilient Bharat, earning accolades from all quarters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, himself a former RSS pracharak, has often reflected on this enduring legacy. In his Independence Day address from the Red Fort on August 15, 2025, he declared, "The RSS's contribution to the nation marks a proud and golden chapter. With the resolve of nation-building through character-building, with the aim of serving Maa Bharati, the swayamsevaks have, for a century, dedicated their lives to the welfare of the motherland." These words echo the Sangh's ethos, where individual sacrifice fuels collective strength, proving its role in forging a cohesive national identity. One of RSS's profound early imprints, came during the cataclysm of Partition in 1947, a tragedy that uprooted millions and scarred the subcontinent. As communal violence raged across Punjab and Bengal, swayamsevaks stepped into the breach, forming relief committees like the Hindu Sahayata Samiti and Bastuhara Sahayata Samiti. They distributed food, clothes, and blankets in refugee camps, provided armed protection to fleeing Hindu and Sikh families, and even coordinated safe passages with the Indian Army. In Punjab alone, where the RSS had built a robust network from Delhi to Peshawar, volunteers shielded thousands from mob attacks, earning the gratitude of survivors who later became lifelong supporters. This wasn't orchestrated charity; it was instinctive patriotism, born from KB Hedgewar's vision of Hindu unity as the bedrock of national resilience. As PM Modi noted in a 2025 Mann Ki Baat broadcast, "This spirit of sacrifice, service, and discipline is the true strength of the Sangh. Today, the RSS has been relentlessly and tirelessly engaged in national service for over a hundred years."
This spirit of unyielding support was again visible during the 1962 Sino-Indian War, a dark chapter when India's defences faltered against Chinese aggression. While the nation reeled from defeat, RSS volunteers mobilized en masse, donating blood, manning border outposts, and aiding the armed forces in logistics and morale-boosting efforts. Their disciplined ranks filled gaps in troops' and civilian evacuation in affected regions. Impressed by this fervour, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru-despite his ideological differences with the Sangh-invited an RSS contingent to march in the 1963 Republic Day Parade, a rare public nod to their patriotism. Dismissing objections from within his own party, Nehru reportedly quipped, "Can't stop them," acknowledging the swayamsevaks' valour.
PM Modi, in his centenary reflections on September 30, 2025, highlighted this episode: "Our generation of swayamsevaks is fortunate to witness the centenary years of RSS... This journey of a century is as amazing and unprecedented as it is inspiring." Such moments underscore how the RSS transcended political divides to embody national solidarity. At the heart of the RSS's worldview lies the unshakeable commitment to Akhand Bharat-an undivided India not as a territorial conquest but as a cultural and civilizational continuum. From its inception, the Sangh has viewed Partition as a grievous wound inflicted by colonial machinations and internal frailties, advocating for the eventual reunification of Bharat's fragmented lands through goodwill and shared heritage. This extends to a firm stance on Kashmir, where the RSS has long championed full integration, opposing any dilution of India's sovereignty. The abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 was seen as a fulfilment of this vision, aligning with the Sangh's belief that "from Kashmir to Rameswaram, from Sindh to Assam" forms an indivisible whole. As RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat articulated, Akhand Bharat is "a remembrance of unity, not conquest," a sentiment Modi amplified in his 2025 Independence Day speech: "Today, from the ramparts of Red Fort, I salute all the swayamsevaks who have contributed to this century-long journey of national service, and the nation takes pride in the grand and dedicated journey of RSS. "This ideological clarity has fueled the RSS's proactive role in safeguarding cultural integrity, particularly against forced conversions that erode indigenous identities. Across India, but especially in the Northeast-where tribal communities faced aggressive proselytization-the Sangh's affiliates like Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram have worked tirelessly to preserve animist traditions while promoting education and self-reliance. In states like Nagaland and Mizoram, swayamsevaks have bridged ethnic divides, protecting tribal faiths from coercion and fostering harmony with mainstream India. By emphasizing "reconversion as correction" rather than confrontation, the RSS has empowered communities to reclaim their heritage, countering narratives of division. Modi, in a poignant 2025 tribute, echoed this: "The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, founded 100 years ago on Vijayadashami, was no coincidence... Just as human civilisations flourish along the banks of mighty rivers, similarly, hundreds of lives have blossomed and thrived along the banks and in the flow of the RSS."
No discussion of the RSS's transformative impact can be complete without the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, a cultural renaissance that galvanized millions and redefined India's spiritual landscape. From the 1980s, under leaders like Balasaheb Deoras, the Sangh mobilized through the Vishva Hindu Parishad, organizing yatras and dharm sansads to reclaim Lord Ram's birthplace in Ayodhya. Swayamsevaks coordinated kar sevaks, braved arrests, and sustained the momentum through legal and grassroots efforts, culminating in the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict and the temple's consecration in 2024. This wasn't mere agitation, it was a reclamation of civilizational pride, healing historical fractures. As Modi unveiled a special commemorative coin and stamp during the RSS centenary on October 1, 2025, he stated, "RSS essence is nation-building... Since its formation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has pursued a grand objective. That objective has been nation-building."
In the face of modern trials like the COVID-19 pandemic, the RSS's service-oriented DNA shone brightest. From March 2020 onward, swayamsevaks distributed over 45 million food packets, 9 million masks, and facilitated 60,000 blood donations, setting up isolation centers in 287 towns and aiding nomadic tribes. Affiliates like Seva Bharati coordinated plasma drives and awareness campaigns, reaching even remote villages. This apolitical aid transcended communities, embodying the Sangh's mantra of "help everyone without discrimination." Modi, in his 2025 Mann Ki Baat, lauded this: "Whenever a natural disaster strikes anywhere in the country, RSS volunteers are the first to reach there. This spirit of 'nation first' always remains paramount in every action and every endeavour of millions of volunteers."
As India strides toward Viksit Bharat by 2047, the RSS's century-long odyssey-from Partition's ashes to pandemic's fury-remains unparalleled. It has not sought glory but delivered results, building character that builds nations. In an era of fleeting commitments, the Sangh's quiet revolution endures, a beacon for a united, self-assured India.
(The writer is a national spokesperson of BJP and an author)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
