WHEN Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is completing the hundredth year of its service , there isanevidentcuriosity about the way Sangh perceives this landmark. It has been crystal clear for the Sangh since its inceptionthat suchoccasionsare not meant for celebration but provide us with an opportunity to introspectandrededicatetothe cause. It is also a chance to acknowledgethecontributions of the stalwart saintly figures whoguidedthemovement and theseriesofSwayamsevaksand their families who selflessly joined this journey. There cannot be a better occasion than the birth anniversary of the Sangh founder Dr Keshav BaliramHedgewar, whichhappens to be the Varsh Pratipada – the first day of the Hindu calendar to revisit the journey of hundredyears toresolve forthe future of harmoniousandunited Bharat for the world peace and prosperity. Dr Hedgewar was a born patriot, and this trait of unconditional love and unadulterated dedication for Bharat was visibleinhisactionsfromchildhood. By the time he completed his medical education in Kolkata, he had already been exposed to allthe efforts – from the armed revolution to Satyagraha- undertakentofree Bharat from British colonisation. As we fondly call him in Sanghcircles, Doctor, respected all those ways and never tried to belittle any of them. Social reforms or political independence was one of the central pointsofdiscussionatthattime. At the same time, as a doctor ofIndian society, he diagnosed thefundamentalproblems that caused us to lose our independence and decided to find a lasting solution.

 

He realised that the absence of patriotism in day-to-day life, the deterioration of collective national characterresultinginparochial identities and the lack of discipline in social life are the root causesofexternalinvadersfinding theirfoothold inBharat.He could experience that people had lost the collective memory of our glorious history due to incessant aggressions. Hence, there was a sense of pessimism and inferiority complex about our culture and knowledge tradition. Itwashisconvictionthat mere political activism under a fewleaderswouldnot solve the fundamental problems of our ancient Rashtra. Hence, he decided to devise a method of consistent efforts to train people to live for the nation. The innovative and uniquefunctioningoftheSangh based onthe Shakha method is the outcome of this visionary thinkingbeyondpoliticalstruggle. While participating in the political freedom struggle and encouraging others to do the same, Dr Hedgewar developed this trainingmethodfororganising the entire society and not creating an organisation withinthesociety.Today,afterahundredyears , thousandsof youth continuetojointhepathshown by Doctor Hedgewar and are ready to dedicatethemselves to the national cause.

 

There is a growingacceptanceandexpectations of the society from the Sangh. These are nothing but thesignsofapprovalforDoctor ji vision and method. The progressive unfoldment of this movement and philosophy is nothing short of a miracle. It was not easy to explain theideaofHindutvaandtheidea of Rashtra when most of the English-educated elites were influencedbytheEuropeanidea of nationalism, which was narrow, parochial and exclusivist. Doctor Hedgewar did not theorise the ideology, but he gave an action programme in seed form that has been the guiding forceinthis journey. Duringhis lifetime, Sangh's work reached all the regions of the Bharat. When we attained independence andatthe same time Bharat Mata was unfortunatelypartitionedonreligiouslines, it was Sangh Swayamsevaks who dedicated themselves to thecauseofrescuingtheHindu population from Pakistan and resettlingthemwithhonourand dignity.

 

Theorganisationforthe organisation's sake mantra unfolded into transmitting organisational energy into various walks of national life. TheconceptofSwayamsevak, which is more ofasense of responsibilityanddutyforsociety, started showing its presenceinfieldsrangingfromeducation to labour to politics. Everything has to be reorganised in light of the national ethos, for which Sri Guruji (Madhav Sadashiv Golwarkar), the second Sarsanghachalak, was the guiding force during this phase. Bharat is an ancient civilisationwitha destinedrole toplay in the interest of humanity basedonitsspiritualtraditions. If Bharat has to perform the role based on the ideas of universal harmony and oneness, then the common populous of Bharat has to prepare itself for that goal. Sri Guruji provided a strong ideational foundation for the same. The reformist agenda of the Hindu society gained new momentum when all sects of Bharat declared that any form of discrimination has no Dharmic sanction. Sangh Swayamsevaksplayeda pivotal role in the fight for restoring democracy through peaceful means when the Constitution was brutally assaulted during the emergency. Sangh has expanded from the concept of Shakha to engaging in service activity by invoking the righteous power of society and has madesignificantstridesinthese ninety-nine years. Movements like Ram Janmabhoomi liberationconnectedall sections and regions of Bharat for cultural liberation. Fromnationalsecuritytoborder management, participatory governance to rural development, no aspect of national life is untouched by the Sangh Swayamsevaks. Thebiggestsatisfaction is that society is coming forward to be part of this systemic transformation. While there isatendency to look at everything from the political prism, Sangh is still focussingontheculturalawakening of society and creating a strong network of right-minded people and organisations. Participation of women in social transformation and restoring the sanctity of family institution has been the focus of Sangh for the last few years. Around ten thousand programmes were organised throughoutBharatwiththeparticipation of more than twenty-seven lac people after the Sanghcalledfora tri-centenary celebration of Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar – a testimony of how we are collectively celebrating our national icons. WhentheSanghworkentered itshundredthyear,Sanghdecided to take the core man-makingfornation-buildingworkup to the block and village level. Adding up to ten thousand Shakhas in the last one-year with systematic planning and execution is a symbol of determination and acceptance.

 

Thegoalofreachingeachvillage and Basti is still an unfulfilled task and is a matter of introspection.ThecallforPachParivartan – the five-fold programme for transformation - will continue to be the main focusinthecomingyears.While expandingtheShakhanetwork, Sangh has focused on inculcating civic duties, an environment-friendly lifestyle, socially harmonious conduct, familial values and systemic transformation based on the sense of selfhood, so that everyone contributes to the larger cause ofParamVaibhavamNetumEtat Svarashtram – taking our Rashtra to the pinnacle of the glory. In the last hundred years, Sangh, as a movement of nationalreconstruction, has travelled from neglect and ridiculetocuriosityandacceptance. Sangh does not believe in opposing anyone and is confident that someday, anyone opposing the Sangh work will join the Sangh fold. When the world is grappling with multiplechallenges rangingfromclimate change to violent conflicts,Bharat'sancientandexperiential wisdom is eminently capable of providing solutions. Thisgiganticbutinevitabletask is possible when every child of Bharat Mata understands this role and contributes to building a domestic model that inspires others to emulate. Let us join this resolve to present a role model before the world of a harmonious and organised Bharat, taking the entire societytogetherundertheleadership of righteous people (Sajjan Shakti).