{"id":41865,"date":"2025-10-01T18:52:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T13:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2025\/10\/01\/rss-centenary-celebrations-pm-modi-hails-century-of-service\/"},"modified":"2025-10-01T18:52:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T13:22:00","slug":"rss-centenary-celebrations-pm-modi-hails-century-of-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2025\/10\/01\/rss-centenary-celebrations-pm-modi-hails-century-of-service\/","title":{"rendered":"RSS Centenary Celebrations: PM Modi Hails Century of Service"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p><b>New Delhi [India], October 1: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A hundred years is a long time to prove a point. And the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rss.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)<\/a><\/strong> just pulled it off in front of the nation. At the grand centenary celebrations in the capital, Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn\u2019t just attend, he stamped (literally) the Sangh\u2019s century-long legacy with a commemorative coin and postage stamp. (RSS Centenary Celebrations)<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He called the RSS a \u201cvirtuous incarnation of India\u2019s national consciousness.\u201d That\u2019s PM Modi-speak for: this organization has been in the trenches of India\u2019s journey, weathering crises, building communities, and shaping the nation\u2019s social muscle since 1925.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2><b>RSS Centenary Celebrations: A Hundred Years in Uniform<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1X2jwn-l2p4?si=Zv_BjiiR43wwEt0w\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Founded during Navratri in 1925 by Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the RSS has grown from a handful of men in khaki shorts to one of the world\u2019s largest volunteer-driven movements. PM Modi, speaking at Delhi\u2019s Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, reminded everyone that the Sangh isn\u2019t just an outfit with daily drills, it\u2019s a mindset.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe Sangh is not merely an organization, it is a flow of service, patriotism, and discipline that has touched every sphere of Indian life,\u201d PM Modi said.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>From schools to relief camps, shakhas to service programs, the RSS has built a footprint so wide it\u2019s hard to ignore.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><b>Stamp. Coin. Symbol. Legacy.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Government of India marked the centenary with two firsts that carry weight:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>The \u20b9100 Commemorative Coin:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Featuring Bharat Mata in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Varad Mudra<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, saluted by swayamsevaks. This is the first time Bharat Mata appears on Indian currency. The symbolism is not lost, \u201cNation First\u201d minted in metal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>The Special Stamp:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A throwback to the 1963 Republic Day parade, when RSS swayamsevaks marched in uniform.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PM Modi called them more than mementos. They are statements. The Sangh\u2019s motto, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rashtraya Swaha, Idam Rashtraya, Idam Na Mama<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (For the Nation, Not for Me), now sits in the palm of every coin collector and philatelist.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>RSS as a River of Service<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the RSS were a river, it would be the Ganga, branching, nourishing, and not always loved by everyone, but undeniably central. PM Modi painted the same picture:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Education:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Vidya Bharati schools spread across the country.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Healthcare &amp; Tribal Upliftment:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Seva Bharati, clinics in remote corners.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Rural Empowerment:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Agricultural and village initiatives keeping Bharat connected to its soil.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Women\u2019s Empowerment:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> From cultural programs to welfare drives, a quieter but consistent thread.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Prime Minister boiled it down to one uncompromising principle: <\/span><b>Nation First.<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><b>The Shakha Effect<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to understand the Sangh, you need to understand the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shakha<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Picture it: a field at dawn, men and boys in disciplined rows, sticks in hand, voices raised in unison. It looks simple. But that daily ritual of drills, debates, and discipline is where RSS volunteers are forged.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PM Modi called the shakha a \u201csacrificial altar of character-building,\u201d where selfishness gets burned off and replaced with collective responsibility. In Sangh lingo, it\u2019s the transformation from \u201cMe\u201d to \u201cWe.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Prime Minister outlined three pillars of this century-long model:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vision of nation-building<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Path of personal development<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Daily shakha as the method<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><b>Sweat, Sacrifice, and Struggles<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Critics often forget one fact: the Sangh hasn\u2019t been a spectator in India\u2019s struggles. PM Modi reeled off a list:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Freedom Movement:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Hedgewar and many swayamsevaks jailed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Quit India, 1942:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Atrocities faced by RSS workers in Chimur.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Partition, 1947:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Relief camps for displaced families.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>1962 and 1971 Wars:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Civil support for soldiers and refugee care.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Liberation of Hyderabad &amp; Goa:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> RSS volunteers in the thick of it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Emergency, 1975:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Standing up when democracy was under lock and key.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhether in times of war, natural disaster, or social upheaval, swayamsevaks have always been first responders,\u201d PM Modi reminded.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><b>Firefighting in Real Time<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When India trembles, swayamsevaks show up. That\u2019s been the pattern.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>1956 Gujarat Earthquake:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Relief camps set up within hours.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>1984 Sikh Riots:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> RSS volunteers worked with Sikh families at a time when fear ran deep.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Floods from Punjab to Kerala:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Food packets, rescue boats, on-ground muscle.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>COVID-19 Pandemic:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> While most were locked inside, swayamsevaks delivered essentials, blood donations, and cremation support.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guruji Golwalkar once said: \u201cTo endure hardship to ease another\u2019s suffering is the mark of a noble heart.\u201d PM Modi quoted him to underline that this isn\u2019t just ideology, it\u2019s practice.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><b>Reform, Not Rhetoric<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The RSS has been branded with labels over the years, but PM Modi pointed to its reformist streak.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Social Equality:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Gandhi himself, during a 1934 visit to Wardha, praised the Sangh for its spirit of equality<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Untouchability:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> RSS leaders have long campaigned against caste discrimination.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>One Well, One Temple, One Cremation Ground:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Current chief Mohan Bhagwat\u2019s call for shared spaces is reshaping conversations in villages.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Add tribal empowerment, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram preserving traditions while building opportunity for 100 million tribal citizens, and you see a picture far bigger than the narrow labels.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><b>Panch Parivartan: Five Keys for India@2047<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every century deserves a roadmap. PM Modi spotlighted the Sangh\u2019s \u201cFive Transformations\u201d (Panch Parivartan) as guideposts for the next 25 years:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Self-Awareness:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Swadeshi, pride in roots.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Social Harmony:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> End caste divides, strengthen unity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Family Enlightenment:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Strong homes, empowered women, disciplined youth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Civic Discipline:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Duties, respect for law, care for public spaces.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Environmental Consciousness:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Green energy, water conservation, balance with nature.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This isn\u2019t just RSS doctrine; it\u2019s a checklist for India\u2019s ambition of becoming a developed nation by 2047.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Global Recognition, National Impact<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PM Modi wasn\u2019t the first to tip his hat to the Sangh. Former Presidents A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Pranab Mukherjee both acknowledged its discipline and service ethos.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, the RSS has faced bans, brickbats, and blame-games. Yet, here it is, marking 100 years with coins, stamps, and an undeniable national footprint.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe RSS has ignited pride, unity, and self-confidence in Indian society. It is not just an institution but a living current of national service,\u201d PM Modi concluded.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><b>Legacy in Metal, Spirit in Motion<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Commemorative coins gather dust. Stamps fade in albums. But the Sangh\u2019s centenary isn\u2019t about collectables, it\u2019s about credibility. A century of disciplined volunteers, countless relief operations, and steady social engineering.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As India hurtles toward its 2047 dream, the RSS brand of service and discipline is still in play. Love it or loathe it, one fact is hard to deny: the Sangh has written itself into the script of India\u2019s nation-building.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pnndigital.com\/category\/news\/\">PNN News<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New Delhi [India], October 1: A hundred years is a long time to prove a point. And the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) just pulled it off in front of the nation. At the grand centenary celebrations in the capital, Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn\u2019t just attend, he stamped (literally) the Sangh\u2019s century-long legacy with a&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/2025\/10\/01\/rss-centenary-celebrations-pm-modi-hails-century-of-service\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &ldquo;RSS Centenary Celebrations: PM Modi Hails Century of Service&rdquo;<\/span> &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41866,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[635],"class_list":["post-41865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","tag-national"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41865","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41865"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41865\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41866"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41865"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41865"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailynewsindia.co.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41865"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}