On the occasion of the centenary year of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), entrepreneur and writer Brinda Kotak on Sunday, 18 October 2026, spoke candidly about the organisation's philosophy in the context of the book 'Hundred Years Young: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh'. Kotak, who has had no direct personal or family connection with the RSS, said the organisation's selfless, ground-level work has fundamentally transformed her worldview.

Kotak's personal journey with the RSS

Speaking about her contribution to the centenary volume, Kotak said, 'I am very grateful to be a part of this book, and I am very happy with the selection of young people who have been specially chosen to share their thoughts and perspectives on the RSS for this book, because there are people like me who actually have no direct connection with the RSS, either family-wise or otherwise.'

She added that despite this distance, she and many others remain deeply inspired by the organisation's on-the-ground work. 'I can speak on behalf of hundreds, thousands and millions of other young people on whom the RSS has had a positive impact,' she said.

What the Sangh taught her

Kotak pointed to a shift in her own thinking as the most significant personal takeaway. 'One important thing that the RSS has taught me is to work for something beyond oneself. We had always heard this. We had always read about it, but actually seeing it in the form of work through the RSS was a different experience,' she said.

She also remarked on what she considers the RSS's defining characteristic — a deliberate absence of self-promotion. 'Their focus is never on sending out any kind of message or spreading an ideology. Their focus is on doing the work,' Kotak said, adding that this also explains why many Indians remain unfamiliar with the extent of the RSS's activities.

Vision of a self-reliant India

Kotak highlighted what she described as the Sangh's long-term, self-effacing vision: working towards an India so empowered that organisations like the RSS may one day no longer be necessary. She expressed hope for a society where every citizen is independently capable and no external organisational support is needed.

On PM Modi's 25 years in government

Commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi completing 25 years as head of government, Kotak said the transformation in India's global standing over this period is unmistakable. 'Look at the kind of conversation we were having about Indian politics, the Indian polity and India's place on the global stage just before PM Modi was elected in 2014, and the conversation we are having now,' she said. She added that India's position, respect, and economic power in the world have 'completely changed' in this period.

On youth protests and civic responsibility

Asked about the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests, Kotak affirmed the right to protest while urging purposefulness. 'The right to protest belongs to everyone, and everyone, especially the youth, should exercise this right. But there should be a purpose behind it. It should be done with the right mindset, with the right permissions and with the right rights,' she said.

She noted that certain recent instances had, in her view, crossed those boundaries, and appealed to young Indians to focus on 'becoming creators, being productive for society, and contributing to the building of society' rather than on disruption.