Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest at the centenary celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in New Delhi on Wednesday. The event will be held at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in the national capital.
Modi will release a specially designed commemorative postage stamp and coin highlighting the RSS' contributions to the nation and will also address the gathering, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.
The RSS was founded in 1925 in Maharashtra's Nagpur by Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar as a volunteer-based organisation.
Modi has been an RSS pracharak in the past and has occasionally praised the organisation during his tenure as PM.
In his Independence Speech in August, Modi hailed the 100 years of RSS as a "very proud and glorious" journey of the "world's biggest NGO" and saluted all its volunteers for their dedicated service to the nation.
"Today I want to mention one thing with great pride that 100 years ago an organisation was born, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Its 100 years of national service has been a very proud and glorious page," said Modi, who
For the past 100 years, the RSS sawayamsevaks (volunteers) have been dedicating their lives to fulfil the resolve of 'vyakti nirman' (character development) and 'rashtra nirman' (nation building) for the welfare of 'matrubhoomi' (motherland), he said.
Modi had also extended warm birthday wishes for RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat earlier this month.
"Inspired by the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, Shri Mohan Bhagwat Ji has dedicated his entire life to societal transformation and strengthening the spirit of harmony and fraternity," Modi said.
Relations between the RSS and the Bharatiya Janata Party were tested last year after party chief JP Nadda said the right-wing party no longer need the parent organisation to win elections. His comments to a national newspaper came just weeks before the 2024 general election.
The BJP lost its simple majority in the Lok Sabha and held on to power with the National Democratic Alliance partners.
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