Rajnath Singh addresses RSS centenary book launch event
Synopsis
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the launch ceremony of 'RSS @ 100: Ek Sadi Sankalp Ki', a book commemorating the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's 100-year milestone, on 17 July 2026. The event is part of a wider centenary calendar marking the RSS's founding in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in Nagpur.
Key Takeaways
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the launch of 'RSS @ 100: Ek Sadi Sankalp Ki' on 17 July 2026 .
The book was published to mark the completion of 100 years of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh .
The RSS was founded in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in Nagpur .
Rajnath Singh has longstanding ties to the RSS and has previously served as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and as Union Home Minister .
The centenary book launch is part of a broader series of RSS commemorative programmes running through 2025–26 .
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the launch ceremony of 'RSS @ 100: Ek Sadi Sankalp Ki' (RSS @ 100: एक सदी संकल्प की), a book published to mark the completion of 100 years of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, on Friday, 17 July 2026. The minister shared details of his address on the occasion via a post on X.
Context
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was founded in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in Nagpur, making 2025 the organisation's centenary year. The book 'RSS @ 100: Ek Sadi Sankalp Ki' — translating broadly as 'RSS @ 100: A Century of Resolve' — was published to document and commemorate that milestone. The release ceremony, at which Rajnath Singh delivered an address, forms part of a wider series of centenary programmes the organisation has been holding through 2025–26.
Policy Backdrop
Rajnath Singh has longstanding ideological and organisational ties to the RSS, having risen through the Sangh's affiliated networks before entering electoral politics as a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader. He has previously served as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and as Union Home Minister before assuming his current role as Union Defence Minister. Senior BJP leaders addressing RSS-linked events is a well-established pattern, reflecting the ideological lineage shared between the two organisations.
The centenary has provided a prominent platform for the RSS to present its historical record and articulate its vision for Indian public life. Multiple publications, exhibitions, and public programmes have been organised as part of the commemorative calendar.
Stakeholders and Impact
The primary audience for the book launch and the broader centenary programming includes RSS volunteers and pracharaks, BJP leaders and workers, and observers of Hindu nationalist politics in India. The presence of a senior Union Cabinet minister at the release ceremony lends the event significant institutional visibility.
For the RSS, having a serving Defence Minister address its centenary book launch is a marker of the organisation's continued centrality to the ruling dispensation's political identity. The book itself is expected to reach a wide readership among those interested in the history of nationalist organisations in India.
What's Next
Further centenary events, publications, and public addresses are scheduled through 2025–26 as the RSS continues its year-long commemorative calendar. Rajnath Singh and other senior BJP figures are likely to remain active participants in these programmes, sustaining the public visibility of the centenary across political and cultural platforms. The series of events is expected to keep the RSS's foundational history and ideological positions in active public discourse well into the coming months.
Point of View
Particularly during a symbolically significant milestone year. For the RSS, securing the participation of a serving Union Cabinet minister reinforces its position as an enduring force in India's political and cultural landscape rather than a purely social organisation. The event also signals that the centenary is being used as a moment of institutional consolidation, not merely commemoration. Observers of Hindu nationalist politics will note that such high-profile engagements serve both to energise the RSS volunteer base and to project organisational legitimacy to a broader public audience.
NationPress
17 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the book 'RSS @ 100: Ek Sadi Sankalp Ki' about?
'RSS @ 100: Ek Sadi Sankalp Ki' is a book published to mark the completion of 100 years of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, documenting the organisation's history and its century of activity in Indian public life.
When was the RSS founded and by whom?
The RSS was founded in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in Nagpur, making 2025 the organisation's centenary year.
Why did Rajnath Singh attend the RSS centenary book launch?
Rajnath Singh has longstanding ties to the RSS and is a senior BJP leader. Senior BJP figures regularly address RSS-linked events, reflecting the ideological lineage between the two organisations.
What is Rajnath Singh's current position?
Rajnath Singh is currently serving as India's Union Defence Minister. He has previously served as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and as Union Home Minister.
What other events are planned for the RSS centenary?
Further publications, exhibitions, and public programmes are scheduled as part of the RSS centenary calendar running through 2025–26, with senior BJP leaders expected to participate in several of these events.
