Present on the stage, respected Sarkaryavah of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Shri Dattatreya Hosabale ji, Union Minister Shri Gajendra Shekhawat ji, Delhi’s popular Chief Minister Rekha Gupta ji, all the volunteers of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, other distinguished dignitaries, ladies and gentlemen!

Yesterday, we lost Vijay Kumar Malhotra ji, one of our long-time volunteers, who always held an important place at every turn of the Sangh’s journey. First of all, I pay my respectful tribute to him.

Friends,

Today is Mahanavami. It is the day of Goddess Siddhidatri. I extend my greetings to all countrymen on the occasion of Navratri. Tomorrow is the great festival of Vijayadashami, which is the victory of justice over injustice, of truth over falsehood, of light over darkness. Vijayadashami is the eternal proclamation of this thought and belief of Indian culture. This was no coincidence that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was founded on such an auspicious occasion a hundred years ago. It was the revival of an ancient tradition, wherein the nation’s consciousness manifests itself in new forms from time to time to face the challenges of each era. The Sangh is a sacred incarnation of that eternal national consciousness in this era.

Friends,

It is the good fortune of our generation of volunteers that we are witnessing such a grand occasion as the centenary year of the Sangh. On this occasion, I extend my greetings and congratulations to the countless volunteers dedicated to the resolve of serving the nation. I also bow in tribute at the feet of the revered founder of the Sangh and our ideal, Doctor Hedgewar ji.

Friends,

The Government of Bharat has issued a special postal stamp and commemorative coins today in memory of this glorious journey of 100 years of the Sangh. On the 100-rupee coin, one side has the national emblem, and on the other, the grand image of Bharat Mata in a blessing posture with a lion, and volunteers bowing before her with devotion. Perhaps the picture of Bharat Mata has appeared on Indian currency for the first time in independent Bharat’s history. The coin also bears the motto of the Sangh: “राष्ट्राय स्वाहा, इदं राष्ट्राय इदं न मम”! (For the nation I dedicate, this is for the nation, not for myself).

Friends,

The special commemorative postal stamp released today also carries its own significance. We all know the importance of the Republic Day parade on 26th January. In 1963, the RSS volunteers too participated in that national parade, and they marched proudly to the tune of patriotism. This stamp commemorates that historic moment.

Friends,

The RSS volunteers, who are continuously engaged in the service of the nation and in empowering society, are also depicted in this commemorative stamp. I extend my heartiest congratulations to the people of the country for these commemorative coins and postal stamps.

Friends,

Just as great rivers nurture human civilizations on their banks, countless lives have blossomed along the banks of the Sangh and within its current in the same way. As a river enriches the land, the villages, and the regions it flows through, making them fertile and prosperous with its waters, in the same way the Sangh has touched every part of this nation, every dimension of society. This is the fruit of continuous penance, and this is a strong flow of national spirit.

Friends,

Just as a river manifests itself in many streams, each nourishing a different region, so too has been the journey of the Sangh. Its many affiliated organizations, connected to every sphere of life, serve the nation in their own ways whether in education, agriculture, social welfare, tribal welfare, women’s empowerment, arts and sciences, or in supporting our labouring brothers and sisters. The Sangh has been working ceaselessly in countless areas of social life. A special feature of this journey has been that, while one stream became many and multiplied, they never clashed with one another, never created division. Because the purpose of every stream, the spirit of every organization working in different fields, has been one and the same: ‘Rashtra Pratham’, Nation First!

Friends,

Since its inception, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has carried a grand purpose and that is the mission of nation-building. The path it chose to fulfil this mission was nation-building through individual character-building, and the method it adopted was the daily, disciplined practice of the shakha (branch).

Friends,

Revered Doctor Hedgewar ji knew well that our nation would be strong only when every citizen awakens to his duty towards the nation. Our nation would rise only when every Indian learns to live for the nation. That is why he devoted himself constantly to individual character-building, and his method was unique. We have often heard Doctor Hedgewar ji say: “Accept things as they are, and shape them into what they ought to be.” To understand his approach to mobilizing people, one can recall the work of a potter. When a potter bakes bricks, he begins with ordinary clay from the ground. He collects it, works on it, gives it shape, fires it in heat, and while doing so, he himself endures the same fire. He bakes himself along with the clay. Then, gathering those bricks together, he builds a magnificent structure. Similarly, Doctor Sahab chose completely ordinary people, trained them, gave them vision, moulded them, and thus prepared dedicated volunteers for the service of the nation. That is why it is said about the Sangh that ordinary people here come together to accomplish extraordinary, unprecedented work.

Friends,

This beautiful process of character-building can still be seen in the shakhas (branches) of the Sangh today. The ground of a Sangh shakha is a sacred land of inspiration, from where the journey of a volunteer begins from “I” to “We.” The shakhas are the sacrificial altars for character-building. In these shakhas, the physical, mental, and social development of the individual takes place. Within the minds of the volunteers, the spirit of service to the nation and courage grow day by day. For them, sacrifice and dedication become natural, the sense of competition for personal credit disappears, and they acquire the culture of collective decision-making and collective action.

Friends,

The great goal of nation-building, the clear path of character-building, and the simple yet dynamic method of the shakha have been the foundation of the Sangh’s hundred-year-long journey. Standing firmly on these pillars, the Sangh has shaped millions of volunteers, who are giving their very best to the nation in different fields, making constant efforts to take the country forward through dedication, through service, and through the pursuit of national progress!

Friends,

Since the time of its inception, the Sangh’s priority has always been the nation’s priority. That is why, in every era, when the country faced a great challenge, the Sangh immersed itself in that struggle, grappling with it head-on. If we look back at the time of the freedom movement, we see that Revered Doctor Hedgewar ji and many workers of the Sangh participated in the independence struggle. Doctor Sahib went to jail multiple times. The Sangh extended support and protection to many freedom fighters, working shoulder to shoulder with them. In 1942, during the uprising in Chimur against the British, many volunteers endured severe atrocities at the hands of the British. Even after independence the Sangh made countless sacrifices whether it was the struggle against the oppression of the Nizam in Hyderabad, the freedom movement in Goa, or the liberation of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. But through it all, the spirit remained one: Nation First. The goal remained one: ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ (One India, a Supreme India).

Friends,

On the path of national service, it is not as though the Sangh never faced attacks or conspiracies. We have seen how attempts were made to crush the Sangh even after independence. Countless plots were hatched to stop it from entering the mainstream. Revered Guru ji (M.S. Golwalkar) was falsely implicated in cases and even sent to jail. But when Guru ji came out of prison, he spoke with remarkable simplicity — words that remain a great source of inspiration in history. Guru ji said, “Sometimes the tongue gets caught under the teeth and is crushed, but we do not break our teeth. Because the teeth are ours, and the tongue too is ours.” Just imagine after enduring such torture in jail, after suffering so many atrocities, there was no anger, no ill will in the heart of Guru ji. This was his sage-like personality. His clarity of thought became the guiding light for the life of every Sangh volunteer. It strengthened the values of oneness and affection towards society. That is why, its volunteers never allowed bitterness to enter their hearts whether the Sangh faced bans, conspiracies, or false cases. Because they knew that the Sangh is not separate from society. Society is made of us all. What is good in it, is ours; and what is less good in it, is also ours.

Friends,

The second reason why bitterness never took root in the Sangh is the unwavering faith of every volunteer in democracy and in constitutional institutions. When the Emergency was imposed on the country, it was this very faith that gave strength to every volunteer, that gave them the capacity to struggle. These two values, oneness with society and faith in constitutional institutions, kept the Sangh’s volunteers equanimous in every crisis, and kept them sensitive towards society. That is why, the Sangh stands firm today like a mighty banyan tree even after enduring countless blows from society, continuously engaged in the service of the nation and society. Just now, one of our volunteers here gave such a beautiful presentation: शून्य से एक शतक बने, अंक की मनभावना भारती की जय-विजय हो, ले हृदय में प्रेरणा, कर रहे हम साधना, मातृ-भू आराधना. Its lesson was we have considered our nation as God, and we have learned to turn our own bodies into lamps, burning in service. Truly, it was remarkable.

Friends,

From the very beginning, the Sangh has been synonymous with patriotism and service. When the tragedy of Partition left millions of families homeless, the volunteers served the refugees. With their limited resources, Sangh volunteers were the first to stand in the forefront. It was not merely relief work. It was an effort to give strength to the soul of the nation.

Friends,

In 1956, a devastating earthquake struck Anjar in Kutch, Gujarat. The destruction was immense, with scenes of ruin everywhere. Even at that time, Sangh volunteers were engaged in relief and rescue operations. At that moment, Revered Guru ji wrote a letter to Vakil Saheb, the senior pracharak of Gujarat who was handling work there. He wrote: “To take upon oneself suffering in order to alleviate the pain of others, selflessly, is the mark of a noble heart.”

Friends,

Taking pain upon oneself to remove the sorrows of others is the true identity of every volunteer. Recall the days of the 1962 war. Sangh volunteers worked day and night to support the army, to boost their morale, to bring help to the villages along the borders. In 1971, when millions of refugees came from East Pakistan into Bharat, they had no homes, no resources. In that difficult time, Sangh volunteers gathered food for them, gave them shelter, provided healthcare, wiped their tears, and shared their pain.

Friends,

We also know well that during the massacre of Sikhs in 1984, many Sikh families found refuge in the homes of Sangh volunteers. This has always been the natural instinct of volunteers.

Friends,

Once, former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam visited Chitrakoot. There he saw the work being done by Nanaji Deshmukh ji at his ashram. Observing the service activities there, Dr. Kalam was astonished. Similarly, former President Pranab Mukherjee ji was deeply impressed by the discipline and simplicity of the Sangh when he visited Nagpur.

Friends,

Even today, you can see that volunteers are always among the very first to reach and help in the floods of Punjab, in the disasters of Himachal and Uttarakhand, in the tragedy of Wayanad in Kerala. During the Covid period, the whole world witnessed firsthand the courage and spirit of service of the Sangh.

Friends,

One of the great works of the Sangh in this 100-year journey has been to awaken self-awareness and self-respect among different sections of society. For this, the Sangh has worked even in those regions of the country that are most remote, the most difficult to reach. In our country, there are nearly 10 crore tribal brothers and sisters, and the Sangh has been constantly striving for their welfare. For a long time, governments did not give them priority, but the Sangh gave the highest importance to their culture, their festivals, their celebrations, their language, and their traditions. Organizations like Seva Bharati, Vidya Bharati, Ekal Vidyalayas, and Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram have emerged as pillars of empowerment for the tribal community. Today, the confidence that has arisen among our tribal brothers and sisters is transforming their lives.

Friends,

For decades, the Sangh has been dedicated to preserving and nurturing tribal traditions, customs, and values. It has fulfilled its duty in this regard, and its devotion has played a major role in safeguarding Bharat’s cultural identity. I would also like to appreciate the countless volunteers of the Sangh working tirelessly in every corner of the country to make the lives of our tribal brothers and sisters easier.

Friends,

The ills that have been ingrained in society for centuries, the feelings of superiority and inferiority, the evil practices, and the filth of untouchability, have been a major challenge for Hindu society. This is a serious concern on which the Sangh has been continuously working. Mahatma Gandhi once visited the Sangh camp in Wardha. He also openly praised whatever he saw in the Sangh - equality, love, harmony, equanimity, affection, and you see, from Doctor Saheb till today, every great personality of the Sangh, every Sarsanghchalak has fought against discrimination and untouchability. Param Pujya Guruji consistently promoted the sentiment of “‘न हिन्दू पतितो भवेत्’,” meaning that every Hindu is one family. No Hindu can ever be degraded or low. We all remember the words of Pujya Bala Saheb Deoras ji, he used to say – If untouchability is not a sin, then there is no sin in the world! While serving as Sarsanghchalak, Pujya Rajju Bhaiya ji and Pujya Sudarshan ji also carried forward this spirit. The current Sarsanghchalak, respected Mohan Bhagwat ji, has also set a clear goal for society for harmony and has spread the message of this in every village. What is that? He said, "One well, one temple, and one crematorium—the Sangh has gone to every corner of the country with this message. No discrimination, no differences, no discord—this is the basis of harmony, this is the pledge for an inclusive society, and the Sangh is constantly giving it new strength and energy."

Friends,

When the Sangh came into being 100 years ago, the needs and struggles of that time were different. We had to liberate ourselves from centuries of political slavery and protect our cultural values. But today, 100 years later, when India is moving towards development, when India is poised to become the world's third-largest economy, when the country and its vast sections of the poor are emerging, overcoming poverty, when new opportunities are emerging for our youth in new sectors, and when India is raising its voice in the world, from global diplomacy to climate policies, the challenges of today are different, and so are the struggles. Economic dependence on other countries, conspiracies to break our unity, plots to alter our demographics-as Prime Minister, I humbly say that I am very satisfied that our government is swiftly addressing these challenges. As a volunteer, I am also happy that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has not only identified these challenges but has also prepared a concrete roadmap to deal with these challenges. I would like to mention once again in my own way the things that Honourable Dattatreya ji mentioned.

Friends,

The five changes of the Sangh, self-awareness, social harmony, family enlightenment, civic etiquette and environment, these resolutions are a great inspiration for every volunteer to overcome the challenges facing the country.

Friends,

Self-realization means self-awareness, self-realization means being free from the mentality of slavery and being proud of one's heritage, being proud of one's own language, self-realization means being indigenous, self-reliant and my countrymen, understand this, self-reliance is not an option, it is a necessity. We must make our core mantra of Swadeshi a societal commitment. For the success of the Vocal for Local campaign, Vocal for Local must be our constant motto and effort, providing renewed energy.

Friends,

The Sangh has always kept social harmony as its priority. Social harmony means establishing social justice by prioritizing the underprivileged and promoting national unity. Today, the nation is facing such crises which are directly attacking our unity, our culture and our security. Separatist thinking, regionalism, sometimes disputes over caste, sometimes over language, sometimes divisive tendencies instigated by external forces, all these countless challenges stand before us. India's soul has always been unity in diversity. If this formula is broken, India's strength will also be weakened. And therefore, we must constantly live by this formula and strengthen it.

Friends,

Today, social harmony faces a greater challenge from the conspiracy to change demographics, even from infiltrators. This is also a question related to our internal security and future peace. And that is why I have announced the Demography Mission from the Red Fort. We must remain vigilant against this challenge and confront it boldly.

 Friends,

Family enlightenment (कुटुम्ब प्रबोधन) is the need of the hour, which is the language of the scholars of sociology who have been in use for centuries. They say that one of the reasons behind the life force of India for thousands of years is its family institution. If there is a single, strongest unit of Indian social order, it is the robust family system that has flourished within Indian society. Family enlightenment means nurturing the family culture that is the foundation of Indian civilization, inspired by Indian culture, and connected to our roots. Family values, respect for elders, respect for women, instilling values ​​in young people, fulfilling responsibilities to one's family, understanding them, and raising awareness in families and society in this direction are essential.

Friends,

Civic etiquette has played a significant role in the progress of every country over different periods. Civic etiquette means a sense of duty, a sense of civic duty should be there in every citizen, promotion of cleanliness, respect for the country's property, respect for rules and laws, we must move forward with this. The spirit of our Constitution is that citizens should fulfill their duties. We must continuously strengthen this spirit of the Constitution.

Friends,

Protecting the environment is very important for the present and future generations. This is a matter related to the future of entire humanity. We must address the economy as well as the ecology. Water conservation, green energy, clean energy, all these campaigns are in this direction.

Friends,

These five changes of the Sangh are the means which will increase the strength of the country, which will help the country in dealing with various challenges, which will be the basis for building a developed India by 2047.

Friends,

May the India of 2047 be a glorious India, forged from the essence of knowledge and science, service and harmony. This is the vision of the Sangh; this is the practice of all of us volunteers and this is our resolution.

Friends,

We must always remember that the Sangh was formed out of unwavering faith in the nation. The Sangh is driven by a deep sense of service to the nation. The Sangh has been tempered in the fire of sacrifice and penance. The Sangh has blossomed through the confluence of culture and devotion. The Sangh stands firm, believing nationalism to be the ultimate religion of life. The Sangh is connected to the grand dream of serving Mother India.

Friends,

The ideal of the Sangh is that the roots of culture should be deep and strong. The Sangh's endeavor is to instill self-confidence and self-respect in society. The Sangh's goal is to ignite the light of public service in every heart. The Sangh's vision is that Indian society should become a symbol of social justice. The Sangh's aim is to make India's voice even more effective on the world stage. The Sangh is determined to make India's future safe and bright. I once again congratulate all of you on this historic occasion. Tomorrow is the holy festival of Vijayadashami. Vijayadashami holds a special significance in all of our lives. I conclude my speech by wishing you all the best for that occasion as well. Thank you very much!

DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of PM’s speech. Original speech was delivered in Hindi.

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MJPS/ST/VK/SS