Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday stressed upon unity, self-reliance and cultural vision in his annual Vijayadashami address at Nagpur’s Reshimbagh ground, marking the organisation’s centenary. Calling for India to pursue friendship with all, Bhagwat cautioned that the country “should remain vigilant and continue strengthening security capabilities”.
Recalling the Pahalgam terror attack, Bhagwat said the government’s response demonstrated strong leadership, and the armed forces too demonstrated their preparedness in such times. The government responded appropriately, and during this period, “the country witnessed strong leadership, the bravery of our armed forces, and most importantly, the remarkable unity of the people”, he said. The episode, he noted, also tested who India’s true allies on the global stage were.
Speaking on internal security, Bhagwat said the extremist Naxal movement has weakened due to firm government action and growing realisation of its “hollow ideology and cruelty”. However, he cautioned that justice, development and empathy were essential in affected areas to ensure lasting peace.
He also weighed in on the US tariff row, saying, “This forces us to reconsider certain policies. While the world thrives on interdependence, we must make every effort to achieve self-reliance without making dependency a compulsion.”
Bhagwat also expressed concern over the political instability in India’s backyard, in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal, noting that violent outbursts cannot bring meaningful change. “These neighbouring countries are linked with Bharat on the basis of both culture and long-standing ties between citizens. In one way, they are part of our own family. Peace, stability, prosperity, and ensuring comfort and well-being in these countries is a necessity arising out of our natural affinity with these countries, going beyond the consideration for protection of our interests,” he said.
At the global level, he said, technology and trade have improved human life but also created social problems due to the gap between progress and human adaptation. He pointed to wars, environmental crises, weakening social bonds, and hostility in daily life as pressing issues.
“All countries are facing a threat from hostile forces that believe that the complete destruction of all bonds that unite, such as culture, faith, tradition and the like, is necessary for resolving these problems. These forces will aggravate the social ills, conflict and violence affecting humanity. In Bharat too, we are experiencing all these circumstances in various ways,” Bhagwat noted, stressing that the world looks to Bharat for solutions.
Calling social unity the foundation of national strength, Bhagwat underlined that India’s diversity of language, faith, caste and lifestyle must not become a source of division. “Despite our distinct identities, we are one nation,” he said. Urging restraint and harmony, he added, “Taking the law into one’s hands or provoking communities is not correct. The government must act according to law, but society too must remain vigilant and responsible.”
Quoting Dr B R Ambedkar, Bhagwat stressed “inherent cultural unity” as India’s foundation, rooted in compassion, purity and discipline. He said Hindu society, inclusive and rooted in the idea of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, carries the responsibility of national prosperity and global contribution.
Addressing climate change issues, Bhagwat said the “harmful consequences of the materialist and consumerist development model adopted worldwide, based on a materialist and compartmentalised approach, are increasingly becoming evident everywhere”. The same model had resulted in irregular and unpredictable rainfall, landslides, drying up of glaciers, and other similar effects in India, over the last three or four years, he added.
Bhagwat’s 6 key observations
Marking 100 years of the RSS, Bhagwat said swayamsevaks have worked across diverse sectors and organisations, contributing to social service, development and nation-building. Based on collective experience, he outlined six key observations:
* Bharat must create its own holistic development model rooted in Dharma and sustainability.
* Social change requires role models and grassroots leadership embodying transparency, selflessness and service.
* Value-building systems in homes, schools, and society must be re-established, with daily shakhas sustaining discipline and character building.
* Social unity must be prioritised, with respect for all faiths, icons and places of worship.
* Hindu culture, rooted in inclusivity, is the foundation of national unity and must remain unbroken.
* Hindu society must organise itself to safeguard Dharma, strengthen unity and contribute to global wellbeing.
He said the Sangh’s ‘Panch Parivartan’ programme, focusing on social harmony, family values, environmental protection, selfhood and self-reliance, and civic duties, would be expanded during the centenary year. “Simple, everyday actions in these areas can set examples for society,” he added.
Concluding, Bhagwat said India has historically restored global balance through Dharma and must once again offer a holistic model to the world.
The RSS launched its centenary year celebrations on Thursday, marking 100 years since the organisation’s founding by Dr K B Hedgewar in 1925. Starting from this Vijayadashami to the next, the Sangh will observe a ‘Shatabdi Varsha’, highlighting its growth from a small meeting at Hedgewar’s residence with 17 people to a national organisation with more than 83,000 shakhas today.
Both Gandhi and Ambedkar recognised RSS discipline: Kovind
Former President Ram Nath Kovind addressed the Vijayadashami celebrations in Nagpur, invoking the legacies of Dr B R Ambedkar, RSS founder Dr K B Hedgewar, and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, while underlining the Sangh’s role in nation-building.
Kovind said that his own rise from an ordinary background to the highest constitutional office was possible due to the social justice system enshrined by Ambedkar in the Constitution. He also recalled Vajpayee’s declaration during the Dalit Sangam rally that his government would work not on Manusmriti but on Bhim Smriti, affirming that “we are Ambedkarites”.
Paying homage to Hedgewar, Guruji Golwalkar, Balasaheb Deoras, Rajju Bhaiya and countless swayamsevaks, Kovind described the Sangh as a banyan tree that has grown in strength over a century, spreading unity and social harmony. He emphasised the Sangh’s initiatives on social inclusion, citing the Ekatmata Stotra and the contributions of women through the Rashtra Sevika Samiti. Recalling Gandhi and Ambedkar’s interactions with the Sangh, he said both had recognised its discipline and sense of belonging.
Kovind urged the youth to dedicate themselves to public service, politics guided by values, and the Panch-Parivartan campaign, stressing that by 2047, the RSS would play a vital role in shaping a developed and socially harmonious India.
Deeply impressed: Dalai Lama
Spiritual leader Dalai Lama’s message was read out at Reshimbagh Ground. “Since ancient times, Aryavarta, our beloved Bharat, has been the birthplace of diverse religions, philosophies, and knowledge traditions, which gave it the stature of a Vishwaguru (teacher of the world). However, from the later part of the 10th century, numerous external disruptions led to the decline of Bharat’s spiritual traditions, philosophies, and knowledge systems. Yet, thanks to the tireless efforts of countless selfless luminaries, these traditions were preserved from extinction,” the Dalai Lama said.
“From the 19th century onwards, new movements of spiritual, educational, and social renaissance began across Bharat, culminating in the freedom struggle that restored independence in the mid-20th century. With this hard-earned freedom came the profound challenge of revitalising and safeguarding Bharat’s ancient traditions,” he added.
Within this renaissance, the RSS held a unique place, the Dalai Lama said. “Founded in selflessness and duty, it has provided an unparalleled example of dedication and service, uniting people and strengthening Bharat materially and spiritually. It has worked in remote regions, aided education and social upliftment, and supported disaster relief. Over 50 years, I have observed the Sangh and its institutions closely and been deeply impressed,” he said.
“The Sangh has long worked in these directions, inspiring my respect. It has also rendered special service for Tibetan refugees, for which the Tibetan community remains grateful,” the message further stated.
The RSS launched its centenary year celebrations on Thursday, marking 100 years since the organisation’s founding by Dr K B Hedgewar in 1925. (Source: X/ @ramnathkovind) 
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