{
  "id": 15312746,
  "title": "Youth connect: 18 young achievers share their personal encounter with RSS, changed perceptions in centenary book",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/youth-connect-18-young-achievers-share-their-personal-encounter-with-15312746",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-17T23:50:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/india/youth-connect-18-young-achievers-share-their-personal-encounter-with-rss-changed-perceptions-in-centenary-book-10926284/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a centenary book released by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), 18 young achievers—including entrepreneurs, sportspersons, actors, and activists—share their personal experiences and encounters with the organization. The book, \"Hundred Years Young: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh,\" was timed for the RSS's centenary celebrations and aims to engage younger Indians and challenge perceptions about the group. Edited by Rashmi Samant, the first Indian woman president of the Oxford University Students Union, the book includes a \"special message\" from RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat and a foreword by RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar.\n\nThe contributors recount various experiences with the RSS, with some having direct connections to the organization and others observing it as a disciplined body working for the national interest. A common theme across the essays is that the RSS has been misunderstood, particularly regarding issues involving Muslims, minorities, and social conservatism. Bhagwat argues that the Sangh's resilience in the face of challenges has attracted young people to it, stating that an honest appeal towards good work appeals to them and provides a meaningful anchor in their lives.\n\nAmbekar's foreword highlights the RSS's unique leadership model, emphasizing responsibility over recognition and a focus on serving a larger cause without seeking personal fame. Contributors such as LGBT rights activist Ankit Bhuptani and entrepreneurs Vikrant Massey and Bhasha Sumbli of \"The Kashmir Files\" discuss how their interactions with the RSS challenged their preconceived notions and reinforced qualities like discipline, perseverance, and organization that resonate with their professional journeys.\n\nJournalist Rubika Liyaquat, a Muslim, initially viewed the RSS with apprehension but found its receptiveness to discussions on LGBT rights and the broader involvement of individuals from diverse backgrounds refreshing. The book's selection of contributors and emphasis on personal encounters aim to address the RSS's longstanding communication challenge—bridging the gap between public perceptions of the organization and the lived experiences of those who engage with it directly.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express - India",
        "title": "Youth connect: 18 young achievers share their personal encounter with RSS, changed perceptions in centenary book",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/youth-connect-18-young-achievers-share-their-personal-encounter-with",
        "published": "2026-10-17T23:50:17.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}