PM Modi to participate in RSS centenary celebrations on October 1

On this occasion, the Prime Minister will release a specially designed commemorative postage stamp and coin highlighting the RSS's contributions to the nation and will also address the gathering.

Earlier on Sunday, while addressing the nation on Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for an "unprecedented and inspiring" journey as the organisation will complete 100 years on the occasion of Vijayadashami.

PM Modi said, "This Vijayadashami is very special for another reason. This day marks 100 years of the foundation of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. This journey of a century is as amazing, unprecedented, and inspiring as it is."

Prime Minister Modi, who had earlier been part of the RSS, added that the Sangh was formed amid an identity crisis in India before Independence.

"100 years ago, when the RSS was founded, the country had been bound in the chains of slavery for centuries. This centuries-long slavery had deeply hurt our self-respect and self-confidence. The world's oldest civilisation was facing an identity crisis. Our citizens were becoming victims of an inferiority complex," he said.

"The most revered Hedgewar ji founded the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami in 1925. After Hedgewar's passing, Guruji carried forward this great mission of serving the nation," PM Modi added.

Lauding the teachings of the RSS, he praised the Sangh for lending support for relief work amid a natural disaster in the country.He hailed RSS' "nation first" approach and offered wishes for the centenary celebrations.

Founded in 1925 in Nagpur, Maharashtra, by Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the RSS was established as a volunteer-based organisation with the goal of fostering cultural awareness, discipline, service, and social responsibility among citizens.

RSS is a unique people-nurtured movement for national reconstruction. Its rise has been seen as a response to centuries of foreign rule, with its continuing growth attributed to the emotional resonance of its vision of India's national glory, rooted in Dharma.

A core emphasis of the Sangh is on patriotism and national character formation. It seeks to instil devotion to the motherland, discipline, self-restraint, courage, and heroism. The Sangh's ultimate goal is the "Sarvangeena Unnati" (all-round development) of India, to which every Swayamsevak dedicates himself.

Over the past century, RSS has played a significant role in education, health, social welfare, and disaster relief. RSS volunteers have actively participated in relief and rehabilitation efforts during natural disasters, including floods, earthquakes, and cyclones. In addition, various affiliated organisations of the RSS have contributed to empowering youth, women, and farmers, promoting public participation, and strengthening local communities.

The centenary celebrations not only honour the historical achievements of the RSS but also highlight its enduring contributions to India's cultural journey and its message of national unity. (ANI)