In August 2025, during his annual Independence Day address from the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered his most explicit public tribute to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the organization that shaped his life from boyhood. This unprecedented acknowledgment underscored the RSS’s transformation into a pivotal force in Indian politics as it marked its centenary.
Founded in 1925 by Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the RSS emerged amid communal tensions during British colonial rule. Hedgewar, a physician, sought to unify Hindus against perceived threats from Muslim invasions and colonial domination. Early leaders drew inspiration from European fascist movements of the 1930s and 1940s, emphasizing disciplined nationalism and physical training.
The organization’s core activity remains the daily shakhas—local branches where volunteers in uniform engage in physical drills, ideological discussions, and community building. These grassroots units have expanded into a vast network known as the Sangh Parivar, influencing education, media, judiciary, police, and government.
A History of Bans and Resilience
The RSS faced severe setbacks early on. In 1948, following Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination by Nathuram Godse—a former member with RSS ties—the group was banned and branded a pariah. Further bans came during Indira Gandhi’s 1975 Emergency and after the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, which triggered riots killing around 2,000 people, mostly Muslims.
Despite these prohibitions, the RSS rebuilt underground, establishing its political wing: the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in 1951, which evolved into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 1980.
The Rise to Dominance
The 1980s and 1990s saw the RSS mobilize around the Ayodhya Ram Temple campaign, turning a historical dispute into a unifying cause for Hindu voters. The 1992 mosque demolition marked a turning point, propelling the BJP’s growth.
Under Narendra Modi—a lifelong RSS pracharak (full-time volunteer)—the Hindu right achieved unprecedented power. Modi’s BJP secured outright majorities in 2014 and 2019, and retained control in 2024 via coalition. Key milestones include revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019, enacting the Citizenship Amendment Act (fast-tracking citizenship for non-Muslims), and inaugurating the Ram Temple in Ayodhya in 2024 on the Babri site.
Reshaping India’s Identity
Critics argue these developments erode India’s secular foundations, marginalizing minorities—particularly Muslims—and institutionalizing a “Hindu-first” ethos. Supporters view it as a long-overdue cultural revival, restoring Hindu pride in a nation of 1.4 billion.
A century after its founding as a marginalized group, the RSS has infiltrated India’s core institutions. With Modi at the helm, its vision of a muscular Hindu nation has moved from the fringes to the mainstream, ensuring enduring influence long into the future.
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