RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat addresses valedictory session of a two-day national meeting on ‘Contemporary Motherhood’ organised by Vishwa Mangalya Sabha.
NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday said motherhood is the foundation of creation, nurturing and continuity of society, asserting that “the creation, nurturing and sustenance of the world are impossible without motherhood.”Addressing the valedictory session of a two-day national meeting on “Contemporary Motherhood” organised by Vishwa Mangalya Sabha at the Ambedkar International Centre, Bhagwat said the core principles of motherhood remain timeless even as society changes.He described mothers as a child’s first teacher and the primary source of emotional support throughout life, saying they play a decisive role in shaping values and giving the right direction to a person’s thinking.Bhagwat said parents should spend more time with their families and maintain open communication with children. He stressed that children learn more through observation than instruction, making it important for parents to lead by example. He also said parents should continue to expand their own knowledge so they can address their children’s questions and curiosity.The RSS chief said many debates in society stem from misconceptions, some of which are deliberately created. Referring to Indian culture, he said it had long been portrayed as flawed despite having a strong civilisational foundation. He urged people to move forward with confidence in India’s history, traditions and knowledge systems.He also said unity amid diversity lies at the heart of Indian culture and called for strengthening families and social institutions by following Indian cultural values rather than adopting foreign lifestyles without reflection.Bhagwat began his address by saying it was somewhat paradoxical for him to speak on motherhood, adding that women have the primary authority to speak on the subject. He said the organisation had already held extensive discussions on the theme and noted that thinkers such as Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore had reflected extensively on motherhood and its relevance to society.The event was organised by Vishwa Mangalya Sabha, a women’s organisation that says it works towards “nation-building through motherhood.” The two-day meeting, held on July 23 and 24, brought together around 280 women from different states to discuss the role of motherhood in the context of changing social conditions and the Indian family system.According to the organisers, more than 900 women attended the concluding session, while between 2,000 and 2,500 women had registered for the dialogue on the theme. The organisation said it held conventions across 23 regions in India in 2026, involving around 37,000 women, and is currently active in 33 regions with nearly six lakh women associated with its activities. It also has a presence in 14 countries, including the United States and the Netherlands.
