Last Updated:
The three-day lecture series was less about performance and more about clarity, a rare chance to see the RSS chief engage directly with people’s questions and concerns.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat speaks during the third day of ‘Vyakhyanmala’ event, organised to mark the centenary year of RSS, in New Delhi, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. (Image: PTI)
For three days, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat held the stage, commanding attention, but not through theatrics. It was his sheer presence. The Sarsanghchalak of the RSS, who will turn 75 this September, moved with energy that contradicted his years, speaking without a script or notes or teleprompters, alternating naturally between Hindi and English, sometimes chanting Sanskrit shlokas effortlessly. The three-day lecture series was less about performance and more about clarity, a rare chance to see the RSS chief engage directly with people’s questions and concerns.
Bhagwat did not mince words, he called India a ‘Hindu Rashtra’, however, defined Sangh’s connotation or as he termed it ‘content’ behind it. He addressed all the seemingly contentious issues – Muslims, temple reclamation, food choices during festivals, reservation, and population policy – and even took a witty swipe at the BJP’s procedural delay in electing its national president. This was a first-of-its-kind engagement between the RSS and the public, where the organisation’s chief directly addressed concerns, dispelled misconceptions, and debunked myths about the RSS, an organisation he has been leading for 16 years, since 2009.
Recommended Stories
The Q&A session, on the final day, alone lasted two and a half hours. Over 200 questions of the 218 received were answered, grouped into 21 themes. Education, social cohesion, national security, governance, economy, religion, geo politics, communal conflict, policy and politics – nothing was out of bounds. Every area found a response that was aligned with Sangh’s ideology, practical, measured, and anchored in Indian values. In the packed auditorium, filled with beaming Swayamsevaks (RSS volunteers), not a single chant of ‘Jai Shree Ram’ was heard, which is a striking departure from what’s typically a staple at RSS or affiliate events. There were no slogans, no rehearsed ideological lines. Instead, there was dialogue: at times challenging, at times reflective, but always direct. Each day’s session began with ‘Vande Mataram’ and concluded with the national anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana’.
What became apparent over the past three days was the contrast between perception and reality. Often painted in narrow ideological strokes, the RSS revealed itself as a network deeply engaged in India’s social, cultural, and intellectual development, albeit in its own distinct way Bhagwat spoke about education policy, self-reliance, and the balance between tradition and contemporary challenges with the ease of someone who has been living these issues for decades.
Brains, Brawn, and Energy
The energy in the room was quiet but tangible. Leaders from government, judiciary, military, media, and even international guests sat leaning forward, listening, taking notes. Bhagwat answered questions with clarity, in a lucid manner and rapidly, yet without rushing and did not forget to add threads of historical context with present realities. Each response revealed a disciplined organisation guided by thoughtfulness rather than ideology alone.
Small details stood out. He presented brief but sharp instances or examples, at times pauses to acknowledge a complex question, a nod to practical difficulties, a reminder that real work often happens behind the scenes. With a steadfast and unapologetic narration and a firm affirmation of the Hindu Rashtra ideal, the Bhagwat placed the Sangh on a high pedestal, above party lines and political compulsions, making it clear they are not tethered to the BJP or anyone else’s electoral fortunes.
He did not just clear the air over the Sangh’s role in the freedom struggle and Partition, he blasted the fog with full confidence, rewriting footnotes into headlines. With Bhagwat’s bold presentation of the Sangh, it emerged, as much about preparation, coordination, and collective responsibility as it is about its public image.
Questions, Curiosity, and Candor
Even though the first two day speech, each going on over an hour, the Q&A was the heartbeat of the lecture series. Rapid-fire, wide-ranging, and occasionally uncomfortable, the questions tested both knowledge and temperament. Bhagwat navigated them with a rare combination of patience and precision, showing that dialogue, even when probing, is a key part of the Sangh’s engagement with the nation. It was a session that made visible the unseen, the thinking, effort, and organisation behind the public face.
By the end of the three days, it was clear that the RSS could be upfront and immensely unapologetic about what it does. Bhagwat’s stamina, clarity, and direct engagement created a rare moment of transparency. The organisation, often viewed from a distance, showed a side that is responsive, disciplined, and intellectually engaged. For those present, the lecture series was more than words. It was mood, energy, and presence, also a glimpse of the unseen machinery and disciplined commitment behind one of India’s most influential organisations.
About the Author
Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has covered Naxa…Read More
Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has covered Naxa… Read More
Loading comments…
Read More
 "Why is Florida deploying robot bunnies to capture pythons?")
