Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar is primarily known as the founder of the RSS, the largest voluntary movement in the world. But there are some aspects of Dr. Hedgewar’s personality, such as his involvement in the freedom movement, that are unknown to the world. He joined the movement at a young age and was influenced by the firebrand nationalism of Lokmanya Tilak. Keshav studied in Nagpur, Yavatmal, and Puna, be ...

If someone asks how many dictators lived in this world, Hitler would be the first name that would strike your mind. Followed by Stalin, Lenin, Fidel Castro. But some people would like to debate on these names. Numbers of people who consider them as revolutionary leaders are not less. Dictating their terms in the name of revolution Lenin, Stalin, Castro and Mao are idealized by some Indians. Just like dictat ...

He chose to create a different kind of parivar, one that rose above caste and external divisions that plagued Hindu society. A few days before Keshav Rao Hedgewar breathed his last, he stood before a gathering of swayamsevaks and delivered what was to be his last address. Channelling all of his depleted strength, the fiery orator and freedom fighter, aware that his end was near, set forth his vision as a li ...

Last year, I co-curated the Pondicherry literature festival (PLF). Scheduled for August 17-19, after Sri Aurobindo’s birthday on August 15, this was the first event of this scale and magnitude in the erstwhile French enclave and still picturesque Union Territory. Alliance Française de Puducherry, whose then president was my co-curator, had offered us venues as well as support. The Lt. Governor of Puducherry ...

“Free India’s first terrorist was a Hindu. His name was Nathuram Godse.” Thus spoke the Oracle Kamal Haasan. Haasan refers to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in January, 1948. Utter novices these Hindus! Despite being the first to adopt terrorism they shockingly allowed themselves to be surpassed by those more adept at slaughter and mayhem! And what have they to show? Only a Nathuram Godse. Godse was ar ...

Bharat’s identity is intrinsically tied with the eternal philosophy of Hindutva For ages, Bharat has offered a unique view of life because it is based on spirituality. Bharat believes that Truth can have various forms, names and paths to reach it. Though diverse, all these paths are equal. Bharat sees unity in diversity and has a capacity to establish unity amongst such expansive variety. It doesn’t see div ...

The terror attack on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday and the blasts and events of the following days once again reminded us that the threat posed by radical Islam is closer than it appears. Radicalisation and terrorism is not a problem faced by Sri Lanka alone. As a victim and target of Islamic terrorism, India should take precautionary measures to avoid the sort of unpleasant events that ...

The RSS since its inception has thought of itself as an organisation of the entire society and not as an organisation in the society. This stance of RSS has not changed even after our independence from the shackles of British rule. Hence in the constitution of RSS, written soon after independence, in 1949, it is clearly articulated that should a Swayamsevaks choose to enter politics, he is free to join any ...

May Day is famously known as a commemoration of the agitation for 8 hour work which occurred in Chicago, US on May 01, 1886. But due to untoward handling of the issue, it ended in clash with Police and became known as a total failure in the history of labour struggle. Even before the incident, the Government had accepted the same demand and US Congress had passed a resolution on the same in 1868. The strike ...

The poll bugle has been sounded, and political leaders are busy in delivering campaign speeches as per the culture and tradition of their respective parties. In one of such speeches, the leader of a party proclaimed that the vote this time around would be a choice between Gandhi and Godse. Those who follow Gandhian ideology pay special attention to their utterances and never take the name of Godse. I have p ...