20-day training camp for RSS workers concludes

Lucknow: A 20-day training camp organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for the eastern UP region concluded on Wednesday at Saraswati Kunj in Nirala Nagar. Senior RSS functionaries and several prominent guests, including RSS Sah Sarkaryawah Ramdutt Chakradhar and Padma Shri awardee and progressive farmer Ramsaran Verma attended the event.

Chakradhar highlighted the significance of 2026, noting that it marks several milestones, including the 150th birth anniversary of tribal leader Birsa Munda, the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram and the centenary of the RSS. He said these occasions serve as reminders of cultural continuity and national heritage.

Chakradhar underlined the organisation’s emphasis on character-building and social cohesion through its daily shakha system. He said the RSS seeks to transform individuals from self-centred to society-oriented citizens, adding that volunteers have historically contributed during crises, including the Partition, wars and the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said that every Swayamsevak lives for the Sangh. “Maithilisharan Gupt said that India is the crown jewel of the world; it was the first civilisation to expand globally. There is no region in the world where India has not made a significant contribution,” he said.

He said that at the time of the Sangh’s inception, people used to ridicule Dr Hedgewar’s work of Hindu organisation, deeming it a daunting challenge. When people mockingly asked who claimed that India is a Hindu nation, Dr Hedgewar replied, “I, Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, say that India is a Hindu nation.”

Ramsaran Verma described the programme not as an end but as a beginning of responsibility. He urged trained volunteers to work towards strengthening social unity and contribute actively to nation-building.

The training camp saw participation of 289 volunteers drawn from various districts across the Awadh, Kanpur, Kashi and Gorakhpur regions. Over 20 days, participants underwent sessions covering physical training, intellectual discussions, management skills, service activities and organisational work aimed at enhancing leadership, discipline and social responsibility.

A “Kutumb Sahbhoj” (community family meal) held on June 7 marked a key highlight, where about 200 families of participants joined, fostering interaction and strengthening familial and social bonds.