Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh: A look at its origins, ideology and rise (1925-1966)
The RSS rose amid India’s battle to overthrow the British Raj, with the aim of establishing a ‘Hindu nation’ via cultural and religious revival
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) originated in 1925, founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, a Maharashtrian Brahmin physician from Nagpur. Hedgewar aimed to unify Hindus by providing a platform that transcended caste, region, and sect divisions. The RSS, which seeks to create a Hindu Rashtra, grew from a single shakha (volunteer organization) with Hedgewar as the Sarsanghachalak (chief).
The organization's influence expanded significantly, with more than 1,27,367 shakhas across India. The RSS has been banned three times in independent India and currently wields considerable ideological, political, and social influence across the nation.
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