Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will participate in the centenary celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as the Chief Guest on 1 October 2025 at Dr Ambedkar International Centre in the national capital.
The Prime Minister will release a specially designed commemorative postage stamp and coin highlighting the RSS’ contributions to the nation and will also address the gathering.
An official statement said PM Modi will be the chief guest at the event and address the audience. The RSS was founded in 1925 in Nagpur by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, as a volunteer-based organisation with an aim to foster cultural awareness, discipline, service and social responsibility among citizens, the statement said about the Bharatiya Janata Party‘s (BJP) ideological mentor.
“RSS is a unique people-nurtured movement for national reconstruction. Its rise has been seen as a response to centuries of foreign rule, with its continuing growth attributed to the emotional resonance of its vision of India’s national glory, rooted in Dharm,” read the statement.
The centenary celebrations not only honour the historical achievements of the RSS, but also highlight its enduring contributions to India’s cultural journey and its message of national unity, the RSS said
“A core emphasis of the Sangh is on patriotism and national character-formation,” the statement said.
Instil devotion to the motherland
The RSS seeks to instil devotion to the motherland, discipline, self-restraint, courage and heroism. “The Sangh’s ultimate goal is the ‘Sarvangeena Unnati’ (all-round development) of India, to which every Swayamsevak dedicates himself,” it said.
Over the past century, the RSS has played a significant role in education, health, social welfare and disaster relief, and its volunteers have actively participated in relief and rehabilitation efforts during natural disasters, including floods, earthquakes and cyclones, it said.
In addition, various affiliated organisations of the RSS have contributed to empowering youth, women and farmers, promoting public participation and strengthening local communities, the statement said.
“The centenary celebrations not only honour the historical achievements of the RSS, but also highlight its enduring contributions to India’s cultural journey and its message of national unity,” it further said.
Modi first PM to visit RSS headquarters
Modi was an RSS pracharak and made a mark as an able organiser before being shifted to the BJP, which draws its ideological inspiration from the Hindutva organisation.
Modi has repeatedly spoken about the influence of the RSS on his life. In his recent podcast with Lex Fridman, the prime minister said the teachings of Ramakrishna Mission, Swami Vivekananda, and the service-driven philosophy of the RSS played a crucial role in shaping him.
“More than anything, the RSS provides you with a clear direction toward what can truly be called a purpose in life. Secondly, the nation is everything, and serving the people is akin to serving God,” Modi told Lex Fridman in the podcast released on March 16.
The Sangh’s ultimate goal is the ‘Sarvangeena Unnati’ (all-round development) of India, to which every Swayamsevak dedicates himself.
On March 30, Narendra Modi became the first Prime Minister of India to visit the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Modi visited the memorial of RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar at the Sangh’s headquarters in Reshim Bagh. He was accompanied by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at RSS headquarters.
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