Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

A commemorative postage stamp on the 100 Years of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for their legacy in fostering community initiatives, promoting cultural awareness, and supporting nation-building across India, as showing their participation in 1963 Republic Day parade :

Issued by India

Issued on Oct 1, 2025

Issued for : The Department of Posts is proud to release a commemorative postage stamp marking 100 years of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. This stamp celebrates the enduring legacy of the RSS in fostering community initiatives, promoting cultural awareness, and supporting nation-building across India. It serves as a tribute to the volunteers whose dedication has shaped social service, education, and civic engagement over the past century.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC/Brochure/Cancellation Cachet : Sh. Sankha Samanta

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 202800

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About : 

• The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was founded in Nagpur, Maharashtra, on 27 September 1925 by Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar. This was a period of intense socio-political ferment in colonial India, marked by the freedom struggle and social reform movements. Conceived as a volunteer-based organisation emphasising discipline, social responsibility, and cultural awareness, the RSS sought to foster civic engagement and national consciousness during the era of pre-independence awakening. RSS volunteers and their ideology inspired nationalist sentiments, promoted self-reliance, and encouraged civic engagement during that period.
• The organisational framework of the RSS is centred on Shakhas, local assembly units where volunteers, or Swayamsevaks, participate in physical training, community interactions, prayers, and moral education. This decentralised structure facilitated rapid expansion from Nagpur across Maharashtra and later to other regions of India. Following Hedgewar’s death in 1940, leadership under Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar strengthened its cadre-based model, while Balasaheb Deoras oversaw wider national expansion. Today, RSS shakhas operate across urban and rural India, drawing lakhs of regular participants from diverse age groups.
• Over the decades, the RSS has nurtured a network of affiliated institutions engaged in education, health, and social service. The Vidya Bharati schools, Seva Bharati initiatives, and various youth, women, and farmer associations exemplify its civic outreach. RSS volunteers have played significant roles in disaster relief, literacy drives, healthcare camps, women’s empowerment programmes, and rural development efforts, reflecting widespread janbhagidari (mass participation) and reinforcing community cohesion.
• The centenary of the RSS in 2025 marks a milestone in India’s civic history, underscoring the longevity of a volunteer-driven institution that has contributed to social service and nation-building. Its evolution from a local cultural initiative to a nationwide network highlights the role of voluntary organisations in shaping community life and supporting India’s sociopolitical fabric over a century.
• Text : Referenced from content provided by the proponent.