| Mohan Bhagwat | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1950 Chandrapur, India |
| Religion | Hinduism |
Mohan Madhukar Bhagawat (born 1950) is a veterinary doctor and the current Sarsanghachalak, since 2009, of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He is seen as a pragmatic leader. He was chosen by K S Sudarshan as his successor upon his retirement.[1]
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Mohanrao Madhukarrao Bhagwat was born in a small town called Chandrapur in Maharashtra. He comes from a family of RSS activists.[1] His father Madhukar Bhagwat, was the president of its Chandrapur zone and worked as Prant Pracharak of Gujarat.[1] Madhukarji also introduced Lal Krishna Advani into the RSS fold. One of his brothers is the chief of RSS's Chandrapur city unit. He is the eldest of three brothers and a sister.
He completed his schooling from Lokmanya Tilak Vidyalaya and then his first year BSc from Janata College, both in Chandrapur. He graduated in veterinary sciences and animal husbandry from Punjabrao Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola. He left his masters course in veterinary sciences and became a full time RSS volunteer towards the end of 1975 when the country was under Emergency rule imposed by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi.[1]
After working underground during the Emergency, Bhagwat became pracharak of Akola in Maharashtra in 1977 and rose within the organisation to become pracharak of Nagpur and Vidarbha region.[1]
He became in-charge of physical training for RSS cadres across the country in 1991, a post he held till 1999. That year he was made in-charge, for one year, of RSS volunteers working full time all over country.
In 2000, when Rajendra Singh and H.V. Seshadri decided to step down as RSS chief and general secretary respectively due to poor health, KS Sudarshan was nominated the new chief and Mohan Bhagwat rose to the post of general secretary for three years.
Mohan Bhagwat was elevated as the Sarsanghchalak of the RSS on 21 March 2009. He is a bachelor and has travelled extensively in India and abroad. He is one of the youngest to head the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and is seen to be straightforward, pragmatic and with a clear vision to keep the RSS away from party politics[1]
| Preceded by K. S. Sudarshan |
Sarsanghchalak of the RSS 21 March 2009 – |
Succeeded by (Alive) |
Mohan Bhagwat is seen as a pragmatic leader and has talked of taking the Hindutva agenda forward with a touch of modernity.[2] He has stressed on moving with the changing times, while keeping the organisation's foundation firm in the rich and old Indian values.[3] He says that unlike the popular belief that RSS sticks to old beliefs and customs, it has accepted modernisation and has evolved with it to show the right path to the people of the country'.[3]
On the question of caste disparities in the Hindu society, Bhagwat has said that there should be no scope for untouchability. He has said that the Hindu society, which is founded on the principle of unity in diversity, should address inherent deficiency of discriminating against its own ilk and that the people of the community should strive to remove such discriminatory attitudes prevalent in society, and a beginning should be made from the homes of every Hindu.[4]
