Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Friday released the book RSS @100: A Century of Service, Unity & Sacrifice at Uprashtrapati Bhavan, describing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as an organisation that has strengthened the ideals of service, unity and national consciousness over the past century.
The book, authored by Shyam Jaju and Anupam Trivedi, chronicles the RSS’s 100-year journey and its contributions to nation-building. The event was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, IGNCA President Ram Bahadur Rai, RSS Kshetra Sanghchalak Pawan Jindal, the co-authors, and other dignitaries.
Addressing the gathering, the Vice President said it was a personal honour to participate in the release of a book marking the RSS centenary, recalling his long association with the organisation. Referring to a Tamil poem on the Sangh, he said it compares the RSS to the holy Ganga, flowing selflessly for the welfare of others and symbolising the spirit of service that has guided the organisation throughout its journey.
He said the book captures the essence of the RSS’s mission of reviving, reinforcing and rebuilding India’s cultural roots, heritage and traditions. The Vice President noted that the ideals of service, unity and sacrifice have inspired generations of volunteers, with service reflecting selfless commitment to society, unity strengthening bonds across India’s diversity, and sacrifice demonstrating the dedication required to build enduring institutions.
Highlighting the organisation’s emphasis on character-building, V-P Radhakrishnan said the RSS’s daily shakhas nurture leadership and national character. Quoting from the book, he described the shakha as “a workshop of the soul where the raw energy of youth is chiselled into national character.”
The Vice President also said the RSS has consistently promoted cultural continuity and national consciousness by fostering pride in India’s civilisational heritage, languages, traditions and spiritual thought. He said the centenary provides an opportunity to acknowledge the dedication of lakhs of volunteers who have contributed to the organisation’s growth.
Referring to the chapter titled A Swayamsevak as PM: The Modi Era, the V-P said it traces Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s journey from a swayamsevak to Pradhan Sevak. He observed that the Prime Minister has consistently placed seva and the principle of “Nation First” at the centre of governance, reflecting the RSS’s emphasis on selfless service and nation-building.
Recalling a conversation with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the Vice President noted that both had begun their public lives as grassroots workers associated with the movement inspired by Jayaprakash Narayan’s Total Revolution. Comparing the RSS’s growth to the Ganga, which begins as a small stream before becoming a mighty river, he said the organisation has grown from humble beginnings into one of the world’s largest voluntary organisations.
