Key Highlights:
- Prime Minister Modi praised RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s 16-year tenure as the most transformative period in RSS’s 100-year journey
- Bhagwat’s 75th birthday coincides with RSS centenary celebrations, marking a historic milestone for the organization
- Modi highlighted Bhagwat’s leadership during challenges including Emergency period and COVID-19 pandemictimesofindia.
Opening Overview
Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered an unprecedented tribute to RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on his 75th birthday, declaring his tenure as the “most transformative period in the 100-year journey of the RSS”. This remarkable endorsement came as PM Modi praised Mohan Bhagwat for embodying the principle of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” while dedicating his life to societal transformation and strengthening harmony across India.
From the ramparts of the Red Fort, highlighted the role played by the RSS in nation building. This year is special as we mark a hundred years since the RSS was founded.@RSSorg pic.twitter.com/H4HLHLJHrN
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 15, 2025
The tribute gains special significance as it coincides with the RSS approaching its centenary year, with Mohan Bhagwat having steered the organization through complex socio-political currents while maintaining its core ideology. Modi’s detailed blog post reflected on Mohan Bhagwat’s journey from a young pracharak during the Emergency to becoming the third longest-serving RSS chief, highlighting his intellectual depth and empathetic leadership style.
Bhagwat’s Transformative Leadership Journey Through RSS Hierarchy
- Mohan Bhagwat began his RSS journey as a pracharak approximately 50 years ago during one of India’s most challenging periods
- His elevation to Sarsanghchalak in March 2009 marked the beginning of unprecedented organizational transformation
Prime Minister Modi detailed how Mohan Bhagwat’s early years as a pracharak coincided with the draconian Emergency period when RSS swayamsevaks worked extensively in rural and backward areas of Maharashtra, particularly Vidarbha. The RSS chief’s journey through various organizational positions demonstrated exceptional leadership capabilities, with Modi noting that Mohan Bhagwat “performed each and every one of those duties with great dexterity”. His role as Akhil Bharatiya Sharirik Pramukh during the 1990s showcased his deep grassroots engagement, particularly in Bihar, before his elevation as Sarkaryawah in 2000.
Under Mohan Bhagwat’s guidance, the RSS implemented a revolutionary age limit policy in 2012, mandating that no member above 75 would hold organizational responsibility, resulting in a younger leadership profile. This transformative approach attracted professionally qualified members and helped revitalize the organization’s appeal among younger demographics, addressing the decline in daily shakhas that had dropped by approximately 10,000 after 2004.
Organizational Expansion and Digital Transformation Under Bhagwat’s Vision
- RSS membership expanded significantly with over 66,529 new members joining by June 2024 alone
- The organization currently maintains approximately 84,877 shakhas across India, with 59,266 held daily
Mohan Bhagwat’s leadership has overseen remarkable organizational growth, with the RSS setting ambitious targets to reach every block in every state during its centenary year. Prime Minister Modi praised how Mohan Bhagwat embraced technology during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting increased digital usage when traditional RSS activities became challenging. The RSS chief’s forward-thinking approach enabled the organization to conduct live webcasts of major events, reaching RSS adherents across India and more than 50 countries.
Under Mohan Bhagwat’s stewardship, the organization has attracted over one lakh youth annually through the ‘Join RSS’ platform, demonstrating his natural connect with younger generations. The RSS now boasts an estimated 4 million members as of 2024, with significant presence across states including over 8,000 shakhas in UP, 6,845 in Kerala, and 4,000 in Maharashtra. Modi specifically highlighted Mohan Bhagwat’s ability to modernize RSS operations while preserving its core ethos, describing his leadership style as combining “continuity and adaptation”.
National Campaigns and Social Initiatives Championed by Bhagwat
- RSS participation increased significantly in government initiatives like Swachh Bharat Mission and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao under Mohan Bhagwat’s encouragement
- Bhagwat developed the “Panch Parivartan” framework focusing on social harmony, family values, environmental awareness, national selfhood, and civic duties
Prime Minister Modi acknowledged how Mohan Bhagwat consistently urged the entire RSS family to add vigor to national movements, transforming the organization’s engagement with government social campaigns. The RSS chief’s “Panch Parivartan” framework represents a comprehensive approach to societal well-being, addressing multiple dimensions of national development simultaneously. Mohan Bhagwat’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic exemplified resilient guidance, as Modi noted: “We lost many hardworking Swayamsevaks, but such was the inspiration of Mohan Ji that their determination never wavered”.
His advocacy for “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” demonstrates firm belief in India’s diversity and celebration of different cultures and traditions. The RSS chief’s soft-spoken nature and exceptional listening ability have enhanced his effectiveness in building consensus and inspiring organizational members across different backgrounds. Under Mohan Bhagwat’s guidance, the RSS has planned year-long centenary celebrations beginning with lecture series in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kolkata, demonstrating his vision for broader public engagement.
Centenary Celebrations and Future Vision Under Bhagwat’s Stewardship
- RSS centenary celebrations will culminate on Vijayadashami (October 2, 2025) with grand events in Ayodhya marking historic significance
- The organization aims to establish daily shakhas in all mandals in rural areas by the centenary milestone
The coincidence of Mohan Bhagwat’s 75th birthday with RSS’s centenary year holds profound symbolic importance, as Prime Minister Modi noted the pleasant convergence of Vijayadashami, Gandhi Jayanti, Lal Bahadur Shastri Jayanti, and RSS centenary celebrations on the same day. For the first time in its history, the RSS will initiate centenary celebrations from Ayodhya rather than its traditional Nagpur headquarters, reflecting Mohan Bhagwat’s strategic vision for enhanced cultural significance. The RSS chief will attend the Ram Mandir flag hoisting ceremony on November 25, staying at Saket Nilayam, demonstrating the organization’s deep connection with cultural landmarks.
Modi’s tribute emphasized that having “a very wise and hardworking Sarsanghchalak in Mohan Ji” provides ideal leadership for steering the organization through its centenary celebrations. The RSS under Mohan Bhagwat’s leadership plans extensive outreach through Hindu conferences and public programs nationwide, aiming to reach over one lakh shakhas during the centenary year. Analysts recognize this period under Mohan Bhagwat as achieving unique confluence of “ideological consolidation, sustained state power, mass expansion, societal mainstreaming, civilisational awakening, intellectual articulation, and media acceptance”.
Closing Assessment
Prime Minister Modi’s extraordinary tribute to Mohan Bhagwat on his 75th birthday represents more than ceremonial recognition—it acknowledges transformative leadership that has fundamentally reshaped India’s most influential cultural organization. The RSS chief’s journey from Emergency-era pracharak to leading the organization through its most consequential period demonstrates remarkable institutional stewardship. Modi’s characterization of Mohan Bhagwat as “a living example of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” reflects how his leadership has strengthened trust, brotherhood, and equality in society by considering everyone as family.
As the RSS enters its second century under Mohan Bhagwat’s guidance, his legacy of balancing tradition with innovation positions the organization for continued relevance in contemporary India. The convergence of his milestone birthday with RSS centenary celebrations creates a historic moment that will likely define both his personal legacy and the organization’s future trajectory.
