Puri greets RSS on its 101st Foundation Day
Synopsis
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri marked the RSS's 101st Foundation Day on 20 October 2026, praising the organisation as a torchbearer of vigorous nationalism dedicated to public consciousness and nation-building — continuing a long-standing BJP tradition of publicly honouring its ideological parent body.
Key Takeaways
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri greeted the RSS on its 101st Foundation Day on 20 October 2026 .
Puri called the RSS the 'torchbearer of vigorous nationalism' and praised its dedication to 'public consciousness and nation-building.' The RSS was founded on 27 September 1925 in Nagpur and is frequently cited as the world's largest voluntary organisation.
BJP ministers routinely issue public greetings on the RSS Foundation Day, reflecting the historical organisational links between the two bodies.
Puri, a senior BJP leader and former career diplomat, made the statement in Hindi on X.
On the 101st Foundation Day of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri extended warm wishes to the organisation, calling it a torchbearer of vigorous nationalism and a body dedicated to public consciousness and nation-building.
In a post on X on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, Puri wrote in Hindi: 'प्रखर राष्ट्रवाद के ध्वजवाहक, जन चेतना एवं राष्ट्र निर्माण हेतु समर्पित' — 'torchbearer of vigorous nationalism, dedicated to public consciousness and nation-building' — before offering his heartfelt greetings to what he described as the world's largest voluntary organisation.
A century of swayamsevaks — and counting
The RSS was founded on 27 September 1925 by Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in Nagpur. Over its century-long journey, it has grown into a sprawling network of shakhas (daily local assemblies) spread across India and the Indian diaspora abroad, with its volunteer base frequently cited in public statements as among the largest of any civic organisation in the world. The organisation has historically focused on character-building, social service, and the promotion of what it terms Hindu cultural values.
BJP ministers and the annual Foundation Day tradition
Puri's greeting fits a well-established pattern: BJP ministers and leaders routinely mark the RSS Foundation Day with public messages that emphasise nationalism and the RSS's social-service credentials. The practice reflects the long-documented organisational and ideological kinship between the RSS — the parent body — and the BJP, which grew out of the broader Sangh Parivar family of organisations. For a former career diplomat like Puri, who has navigated multilateral forums and bilateral negotiations, the message is also a visible alignment with the cultural-nationalist vocabulary that defines the ruling party's political identity.
Point of View
Choosing to post in Hindi and invoke the language of 'vigorous nationalism' is a deliberate move to the party's core base. Such annual rituals also serve as a reminder that the RSS-BJP relationship is not merely historical but actively maintained through symbolic public acts at the cabinet level. Watch for similar messages from other senior ministers and whether RSS leadership reciprocates with any acknowledgment of government policy milestones.
NationPress
20 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the RSS founded?
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was founded on 27 September 1925 in Nagpur by Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar.
What did Hardeep Singh Puri say about the RSS on Foundation Day 2026?
Puri called the RSS the 'torchbearer of vigorous nationalism' and praised it as an organisation dedicated to public consciousness and nation-building, extending his heartfelt greetings on its 101st Foundation Day.
Why do BJP ministers greet the RSS on its Foundation Day?
The BJP has historical and organisational roots in the broader RSS-led Sangh Parivar family. Public greetings on the RSS Foundation Day are a long-standing tradition among BJP leaders that reflects this ideological and organisational kinship.
What is the RSS's claim about being the world's largest voluntary organisation?
The RSS is frequently described — including in official public statements by its leaders and supporters — as the world's largest voluntary organisation, based on the scale of its shakha network and volunteer base across India and the diaspora.
Who is Hardeep Singh Puri?
Hardeep Singh Puri is India's Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas , a senior BJP leader, and a former career diplomat who has served in multiple cabinet roles in the Modi government.
