KB Hedgewar was an Indian Physician and the founder of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He was Sarsanghchalak from 1925 to 1930 and then again from 1931-1940. Hedgewar was fondly called as 'Doctorji.'
Who was KB Hedgewar?
Hedgewar was born on April 1, 1889, to a Hindu Brahmin family in Maharashtra. Both his parents died when he was just thirteen years old. He completed his education in the shadow of his uncle, who became his father figure after his parents died in 1902 due to the bubonic plague. Hedgewar always had a feeling of doing something for the nation.
While studying at Neel City High School in Nagpur, he violated the British government and sang 'Vande Mataram.' After that, he further continued his studies at the Rashtriya Vidyalaya in Yavatmal. After enrollment, he pursued his medical studies and returned to Nagpur in 1917 as a physician.
How RSS was formed?
After returning to Nagpur, he observed the feeling of Hinduism among Hindus was fading slowly because of the Britishers, which he thought increased the feelings of patriotism among Indians, mainly because he wanted to focus on Hindus.
Hedgewar was deeply affected after communal riots erupted in 1923 during the Khilafat Movement. The Khilafat Movement was a political protest campaign by Muslims to influence the British government. Hedgewar was affected by Congress, which neglected the concerns of Hindus.
After studying the history of India, he decided to establish an organisation that could address this kind of issue. KB Hedgewar established Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on September 27, 1925, at the festival of Vijaydashmi.
Nitin Gadkari remembered KB Hedgewar on his 135th anniversary
Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari shared a post on his X (formerly Twitter) on the occasion of the 135th anniversary of the RSS founder and said "Heartfelt greetings to the Sarsanghchalak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar on his birth anniversay.
