The RSS: Icons of the Indian Right

by Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay

Even before the RSS had overtly begun to focus on the sphere of education during the Janata period, Balasaheb had initiated steps in this direction several decades ago. The background was Golwalkar’s decision to establish a school in Gorakhpur way back in 1952. Prior to his assuming the mantle of sarsanghchalak, Deoras had given a fillip to his chief’s initiative by expanding the single-school project into a statewide network of schools. Called the Saraswati Shishu Mandir, or the temple of learning, named after the goddess of learning, Saraswati, these schools worked as perfect alternatives for parents who desired quality education for their children, but did not have the financial means to afford expensive schools. The Saraswati Shishu Mandir schools were steeped in Hindu ethos which mandated that the students chant the Saraswati Vandana, Shanti path and the Gayatri Mantra. By 1977, there were almost 700 Shishu Mandirs in India, at which point, Deoras decided to bring them all under a common programme called, Vidya Bharti. Gradually, Vidya Bharti became an important vehicle to carry the RSS’ ideology to Hindu families. Currently, Vidya Bharti runs more than twelve thousand schools in India, an equal number of sewa kendras, and employs almost one and a half lakh teachers who teach nearly thirty-five lakh students. It is the largest educational institution in the non-governmental sector and unambiguously carries the stamp of Balasaheb Deoras’ efforts.