Monday 1 April 2024

Dr Keshav Baliram HedgewarJi

Dr.Hedgewar Transformed the Hindu Society

The B.B.C. of UK in one of its Quiz programmes had posed a question "Which is the biggest non-governmental voluntary organization in the world?" Not getting suitable answers, the quiz master himself declared that "the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu voluntary organization working in India." This was a few decades ago. As at present, the organization has expanded in multiple proportions and still growing. But very few outside Sangh circles know the name of the founder of this mighty R.S.S., Dr.Keshav Baliram Hedgewar.

Dr.Hedgewar was a unique and extraordinary person. He was a passionate patriot, an undaunted, determined, relentless practical worker, a deep and clear thinker, a versatile organizer all rolled into one. From his boyhood he struggled to free the country from the foreign yoke, adopting every method. Very honest and earnest in all his attempts, he ultimately came to a conclusion and decided to start a non political organization to mould men of character, inculcating discipline with absolute selfless dedication and readiness to sacrifice everything for the Motherland and its people. Rashtriya  Swayamsevak Sangh is the distinctive, genuine end product of the intense Tapas of such an unparalleled practical worker.  

Organising the Hindu society was not an easy job. The great king maker Arya Chanakya has made a significant statement that "The inactivity of the good Hindu has caused greater havoc and damage to the Nation than the intense activities of the evil minded and barbaric wily invaders." Every Hindu was intelligent but dormant and not practical. Moreover the Hindu society was amorphous with so many diversities and divisions.

Dr.Hedgewar took up this challenging task of transforming the Hindu. The timid   and docile Hindu was to be made a virile, active and assertive Hindu. Dr.Hedgewar's instrument of transformation was a simple programme of bringing together young ones of a locality for one hour at a particular place and time. This was also not an easy task. But Dr.Hedgewar's tireless efforts of going to the homes of every person and informally having a personal talk with full of affection, his transparent sincerity and intense love for the Motherland, made every person he contacted submit and follow him and the daily 'Shakha' was started. Shakha begins with hoisting Bhagwa Dhwaj with salutation, then in a disciplined atmosphere some games and physical exercises, patriotic group songs and a small talk about the country ending with a prayer would give the necessary samskars for the body mind and intellect to mould every person into a Swayamsevak, keeping Dr.Hedgewar himself as the model before them. This is the simple but most effective technique that Dr.Hedgewar adopted, the main content of which was informality and intense affection. Swayamsevaks moulded in this manner formed the backbone of the organization and the chain of such swayamsevaks are responsible for the present enormous growth of the Sangh and its allied activities.

Foreword in the book "Dr.Hedgewar, Seer, Patriot and Nation Builder" by Maa.Sri K. Suryanarayana Rao, Senior Pracharak.
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Some Important Days from His life
  • April 1, 1889: Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar Ji was born in Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.
  • 1908: Joined the National College in Calcutta (now Kolkata) to study medicine.
  • 1910: Left the National College and joins the Government Medical College, Nagpur, from where he completeed his medical studies.
  • 1921: Participated in the Indian National Congress's Non-Cooperation Movement, led by Mahatma Gandhi.
  • 1925: On Vijayadashami day (October 27), Keshav Baliram Hedgewar founded the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Nagpur, with the aim of promoting Hindu unity and organizing Hindu youth.
  • The first Shakha of the Sangh was started with a handful of youth at Nagpur. Gradually, Shakhas sprouted in other provinces. Soon, there were vast numbers of 'Pracharaks' (whole-time social workers totally dedicated to nation-building activities) working for fulfilment of the Sangh mission.
  • 1929: The first RSS shakha outside Nagpur is established in Wardha, Maharashtra.
  • 1930: HedgewarJi was arrested.
  • 1931: Released from prison and resumed his work.
  • 1934: The RSS formally adopts its uniform of khaki shorts and white shirts.
  • 1939: Appointed Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar Ji, popularly known as Guruji, as  Sarsanghachalak .
  • 1940 : Sangh Prarthana was written by Narahari Narayan Bhide JI, a Sanskrit professor under the guidance of  Dr. K. B. Hedgewar JI and Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar Ji and other senior RSS leaders.
  • May 18, 1940: The Sangh Prarthana was first publicly sung by RSS Pracharak Yadav Rao Joshi Ji in Sangh Shiksha Varg held at Nagpur.
  • June 21, 1940: Dr. Hedgewar Ji toiled night and day to lay a secure foundation for strengthening and growth of the Sangh. That tremendous work spanning fifteen years did take its toll, and Dr. Hedgewar Ji succumbed to illness - at the comparatively young age of 51.

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सिद्ध‌‌यसिद्धयोर्निर्विकार: कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते ॥१८.२६॥

Freed from attachment, non-egoistic, endowed with courage and enthusiasm and unperturbed by success or failure, the worker is known as a pure (Sattvika) one. Four outstanding and essential qualities of a worker. - Bhagwad Gita : XVIII-26

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