CM Fadnavis Greets RSS on Its Foundation Day
Synopsis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis greeted all RSS Swayamsevaks and Sevikas on the organisation's Foundation Day on Vijayadashami 2026, citing its commitment to national service, human values, and a developed India. The RSS, founded in Nagpur in 1925, marks its Foundation Day annually on Vijayadashami.
Key Takeaways
CM Devendra Fadnavis extended Foundation Day greetings to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on October 20, 2026 — Vijayadashami.
The message was posted in both English and Marathi , addressed to RSS Swayamsevaks and Sevikas.
The RSS was founded on Vijayadashami in 1925 in Nagpur, Maharashtra , making 2026 its 101st Foundation Day .
Fadnavis cited the RSS's commitment to 'national service, human values, and the vision of a developed India.' Annual Vijayadashami greetings to the RSS are a consistent feature of BJP public messaging, reflecting the party's longstanding organisational ties to the RSS.
Every year on Vijayadashami, one of India's oldest volunteer organisations marks another year of existence — and every year, India's political establishment takes note. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 extended warm greetings to all Swayamsevaks and Sevikas of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on the organisation's Foundation Day, citing its commitment to 'national service, human values, and the vision of a developed India.'
Posting in both English and Marathi, Fadnavis wrote: 'राष्ट्रीय स्वयंसेवक संघ स्थापना दिन!' [RSS Foundation Day!], offering 'heartfelt good wishes to all volunteers who work with a firm resolve for national service, human values and a developed India.' The bilingual message was addressed directly to the RSS's official handle and carried the hashtags #RSSFoundationDay and #VijayaDashami.A 101-Year Tradition Rooted in Vijayadashami
The RSS was founded on Vijayadashami in 1925 by Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in Nagpur, Maharashtra — making the festival date inseparable from the organisation's identity. Vijayadashami, which marks the victory of good over evil in Hindu tradition, was chosen deliberately as the founding moment, and every subsequent Foundation Day celebration has been held on the same occasion. The 2026 observance marks the organisation's 101st year, a landmark in any institution's life.
The RSS describes itself as a cultural and volunteer organisation focused on character-building and national service, with a network of 'shakhas' — daily neighbourhood gatherings — spread across India and its diaspora. Its volunteers, called Swayamsevaks (male) and Sevikas (female), participate in community service, disaster relief, and social outreach programmes.
Fadnavis, Maharashtra, and the RSS Connection
Devendra Fadnavis is one of the Bharatiya Janata Party's most prominent leaders in Maharashtra — a state that holds special significance for the RSS, given that the organisation was born in Nagpur. His greetings are consistent with a well-established pattern: senior BJP leaders, many of whom have personal organisational roots in the RSS, publicly acknowledge Foundation Day as part of their annual political calendar.
The ideological overlap between the BJP and the RSS is long-documented — the RSS functions as the BJP's ideological parent body — but the RSS maintains that it is a cultural rather than a political organisation. Annual Foundation Day messages from BJP chief ministers and Union ministers are a recurring feature of this relationship made visible.
For Maharashtra, the confluence of the RSS birthplace, the BJP's hold on state power, and a Chief Minister with deep organisational ties makes the annual Vijayadashami greeting more than a formality — it is a restatement of ideological lineage on the organisation's most important day of the year.Point of View
Making the state's chief minister a particularly resonant voice in these annual greetings. The bilingual framing, in English and Marathi, signals both national ideological solidarity and regional political attentiveness. Watch for whether the state government's upcoming policy calendar incorporates themes of national service or cultural programming that align with RSS priorities.
NationPress
20 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the RSS founded and why is Foundation Day on Vijayadashami?
The RSS was founded on Vijayadashami in 1925 in Nagpur by Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar . The festival date was chosen deliberately for its symbolic resonance — Vijayadashami marks the victory of good over evil — and every subsequent Foundation Day has been observed on the same occasion.
What did CM Devendra Fadnavis say on RSS Foundation Day 2026?
Fadnavis extended 'heartiest greetings' to all Swayamsevaks and Sevikas of the RSS, praising their 'steadfast commitment to national service, human values, and the vision of a developed India.' He posted in both English and Marathi on October 20, 2026 .
What is the RSS Foundation Day in 2026?
RSS Foundation Day 2026 falls on October 20 , coinciding with Vijayadashami. It marks the organisation's 101st year since its founding in Nagpur in 1925.
What is the relationship between the BJP and the RSS?
The RSS is widely regarded as the ideological parent body of the BJP. Many senior BJP leaders, including Devendra Fadnavis , have personal organisational roots in the RSS. The RSS describes itself as a cultural volunteer organisation, while the BJP is its political affiliate in practice.
Who are Swayamsevaks and Sevikas in the RSS?
Swayamsevaks (male volunteers) and Sevikas (female volunteers) are the grassroots members of the RSS who participate in daily neighbourhood gatherings called 'shakhas,' as well as community service and social outreach programmes across India.
