Keshav Baliram Hedgewar (Marathi: केशव बळीराम हेडगेवार) (April 1, 1889 – June 21, 1940) was the founder of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Hedgewar founded the RSS in Nagpur, Maharashtra in 1925, with the intention of promoting the concept of the Hindu nation. Hedgewar drew upon influences from social and spiritual Hindu reformers such as Swami Vivekananda, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Aurobindo to develop the core philosophy of the RSS.
He went to Kolkata to pursue a degree in medicine. After successful completion, Hedgewar was drawn into the influence of secret revolutionary organisations like the Anushilan Samiti and Jugantar in Bengal. He was also a member of the Hindu Mahasabha till his death. Hedgewar was imprisoned for sedition by the British government in 1921 for a year and again in 1930 for nine months. After his spell in prison he instructed the RSS to remain aloof from political activities including the Salt Satyagraha (1930) and continue mainly as a social organisation.[1]
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[edit] Early life and career
Dr. Hedgewar was born in 1889 on Gudi Padwa day, the New Year for people from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. He hailed from a Maharashtrian Deshastha Brahmin family which was originally from Kundakurti, a small village in Bodhan taluka near the border of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh states. Near this village, the rivers Godavari, Vanjara and Haridra meet to form a Triveni sangam.Hedgewar was educated by his elder brother. After matriculating, he decided to go to Kolkata to study medicine. He was sent to Kolkata by Dr. B. S. Moonje in 1910 to pursue his medical studies. There he lived with Shyam Sundar Chakravarthy[2] and learned the techniques of fighting from the secret revolutionary organisations like the Anushilan Samiti and Jugantar in Bengal.[1] He immediately joined Anushilan Samiti and had contacts with revolutionaries like Ram Prasad Bismil[3] He took active part in the Historical Kakori conspiracy with the fake name of Keshab Chakravarthy and went underground. He came to believe that although the revolutionaries had immense determination, in a country of continental proportions it was impossible to instigate an armed insurrection. After completing his graduation, he returned to Nagpur, disillusioned with the armed movement. In his memoirs, the third chief of RSS, Balasahab Deoras narrates an incident when Hedgewar saved him and others from following the path of Bhagat Singh and his comrades.[4]
In Nagpur, Hedgewar became involved with social work and also with Tilak faction of the Congress Party, through which he developed a close association with Dr Moonje who later became his Mentor of Hindu Philosophy. In the 1920 session of Indian National Congress was held in Nagpur, Dr Hedgewar was appointed as the Deputy Chief of volunteers cader overseeing the whole function. This volunteer organisation was named as Bharat Swayamsewak Mandal which was headed by Dr. Laxman V. Paranjape (Dr. Hedgewar as his Deputy). All volunteers were told to wear Military type uniform (to be made at their own expense) which was later on adopted as RSS's official uniform from 1925 to 1940. This could be called as the real beginning of RSS because Dr L. V. Paranjpe had declared the intention of starting such an organisation in future.[5] Dr B. S. Moonje and Dr. L. V. Paranjpe funded and actively supported Hedgewar to start RSS as the Top Senior Hindu Mahasabha Leaders of Nagpur region.
[edit] Background of RSS
When the trial of Kakori conspiracy was proceeding in Lucknow the British Government employed most of the Muslim Police Officers and the Special Magistrates[6] who left no stone unturned to get the revolutionaries hanged to death or regorous imprisonments. Moreover the Hindu sect of society proved worthless to retalliate the proceedings of the court as Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil has clearly mentioned in his autobiography and Pt Banarsi Das Chaturvedi - the editor of Kakori Ke Shaheed had also condemned it very strongly.[7]Thus,Hedgewar came to the conclusion that all the problems he felt the Hindu community in India faced - subjugation and oppression by 'foreigners' in the present and past, provincialism, and untouchability - were a result of an inherent flaw in the Hindu character rather than problems themselves. He felt a remedy was a cultural organisation that would unite Hindus on a common platform and instill among them discipline and national character. In this endeavour, he was blessed by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, who was then under house imprisonment in Ratnagiri.
[edit] Inception of RSS
Hedgewar was associated with the Hindustan Republican Association so he adopted the full constitution of erstwhile HRA and implemented it forcibly in his newly established RSS later on. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) first met in 1925 just after a month of Kakori train robbery in a small ground in Nagpur with 5-6 persons on Vijaya Dashami. The basic element of RSS was to be the Shakha (branch) in every town/village, where swayamsevaks (en.volunteers) were to perform drills, exercise and chant slogans on an open ground everyday for an hour.His initial followers included Appaji Joshi, Bhaiyyaji Dani,Babasaheb Apte, Gopal rao Yerkuntwar,Dada rao Parmarth,Balasaheb Deoras,Yadav Rao Joshi ,Bhaurao Deoras,Moreshwar Munje, K.D.Joshi ,Raja Bhau Paturkar,Bapu rao Bhishikar,Abaji Hedgewar,Madhukar rao Bhagwat, Viththal Rao Patki, Bapu Rao Diwakar and K.S.Patait.
[edit] Last Days
Dr. Hedgewar died of typhoid on the morning of June 21, 1940 in Nagpur. His last rites were performed in the locality of Resham Bagh in Nagpur.| Preceded by (none) | Sarsanghchalak of the RSS 1925–1940 | Succeeded by Madhavrao Sadashivrao Golwalkar |
[edit] References
- ^ a b Hedgewar And RSS - By Sushila Ramaswamy in The Statesman 26 June 2003 - Reprinted in Countercurrents.org
- ^ Dr.'Krant'M.L.Verma Swadhinta Sangram Ke Krantikari Sahitya Ka Itihas (Part-2) p.466
- ^ Dr.'Krant'M.L.Verma Swadhinta Sangram Ke Krantikari Sahitya Ka Itihas (Part-2) p.465-466
- ^ Religion, power and violence: expression of politics in contemporary times: Ram Puniyani, pp 27, SAGE, 2005 ISBN 0-7619-3338-7
- ^ Dr. Hedgewar Charitra: N. H. Palkar, pp 1-2, 435-436, 73
- ^ Dr.Mehrotra & Dr.Tandon p.128-129
- ^ Chaturvedi Banarsi Das p. 29
- Dr.'Krant'M.L.Verma Swadhinta Sangram Ke Krantikari Sahitya Ka Itihas (3 Volumes) 2006 New Delhi Praveen Prakashan ISBN 8177831224 (set).
- Dr.Mehrotra N.C. & Dr.Tandon Manisha Swatantrata Andolan Mein Janpad Shahjahanpur Ka Yogdan 1995 Shahjahanpur Shaheede-Aazam Pt. Ram Prasad Bismil Trust.
- Chaturvedi Banarsi Dass Kakori Ke Shaheed (Aatmkatha Ram Prasad Bismil) Delhi Atmaram and Sons.
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