Some ideas begin as whispers and grow into movements that shape nations. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is one such idea. When Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar founded the RSS in 1925, his goal was not political power but national character. He believed that a strong Bharat could only stand upon the strength of selfless individuals who were disciplined, devoted and deeply rooted in the soil of this civilisation.
After Hedgewar’s passing, M.S. Golwalkar, fondly known as Guruji, took the organisation forward with unmatched conviction. If Hedgewar founded the Sangh, Golwalkar gave it its philosophy and structure. His vision of cultural unity and moral strength guided the Sangh through the years when faith in Bharat’s civilisational identity was at its lowest.
I grew up in a home where the teachings of the Sangh were not only recited but lived. My mother often said that true service to the nation begins not in speeches but in conduct. She would say that the Sangh’s genius lay in its quiet efficiency, in its ability to organise quietly and serve without seeking credit. When I look back, I realise that her belief in seva bhav, humility and discipline came from the same ethos that the RSS has nurtured for a hundred years.
Few organisations in the world have grown with such constancy and purpose. From its first shakha to more than 50,000 across the country today, the Sangh has touched millions of lives without needing a banner to announce it. Its volunteers, the swayamsevaks, stand at the frontline of every natural disaster. Whether it is food for the hungry, blood for the injured, or shelter for the displaced, they are there before the cameras arrive and long after they leave. They leave behind no headlines, no plaques, only relief and gratitude. That quiet commitment finds its truest expression in Guruji’s guiding words: “राष्ट्राय स्वाहा, इदं राष्ट्राय, इदं न मम”(I offer this to my nation. It belongs not to me, but to Her).”
What makes the century of RSS remarkable is not just its endurance but its evolution. Through Vidya Bharati schools, it nurtures young minds with a balance of modern education and cultural grounding. Through Rashtra Sevika Samiti, it inspires women to lead with compassion and courage. Through Seva Bharati, it builds bridges across communities. Every initiative is guided by a single thought: Bharat first.
The world often misunderstands what the Sangh truly represents. It is not an organisation of exclusion but of belonging. Its emphasis on discipline is not regimentation but responsibility. Its celebration of culture is not nostalgia but continuity. For the youth of Bharat, especially the digital generation, these are not relics of the past but tools for the future. As Bharat moves toward Viksit Bharat 2047, the centenary of the Sangh feels like a mirror to the nation’s own journey. A hundred years ago, the RSS was born in a colonised land that doubted its strength. Today, it witnesses a Bharat that leads the world in technology, democracy and confidence.
When I see swayamsevaks marching in perfect rhythm, I see more than uniformed volunteers; I see the rhythm of Bharat’s conscience, steady, sincere and unstoppable. The RSS has not just survived a hundred years, it has guided Bharat on how to stand tall for the next hundred. And in every act of quiet service, I still hear my mother’s voice reminding me that true strength is not measured by authority but by the courage to serve.
Bansuri Swaraj is the Lok Sabha member from New Delhi.