List of leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
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The article lists the leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The RSS is an Indian Hindutva paramilitary organisation, which is widely regarded as the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India's ruling political party.[1][2][3][4] In the 21st century, it is the world's largest far-right organisation by membership.[5]
Sarsanghchalak
| Sarsanghchalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh | |
|---|---|
| Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh | |
| Type | Chief of a paramilitary organisation |
| Member of | Sangh Parivar |
| Appointer | Outgoing Sarsanghchalak |
| Term length | No term limit |
| Formation | 27 September 1925 |
| First holder | K. B. Hedgewar |
The sarsanghchalak (lit. 'Chief') serves as the leader of the RSS. The position is decided, through nomination, by the predecessor. Since the formation of the RSS in 1925, six individuals have served as the sarsanghchalak. K. B. Hedgewar, the founder of the RSS, also served as its first sarsanghchalak. The sixth and current sarsanghchalak of the organisation is Mohan Bhagwat.[6]
List of officeholders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 1 |  |
K. B. Hedgewar (1889–1940) |
27 September 1925 | 21 June 1940 | 14 years, 268 days | [7] |
| 2 |  |
M. S. Golwalkar (1906–1973) |
21 June 1940 | 5 June 1973 | 32 years, 349 days | [8] |
| 3 |  |
Madhukar Dattatraya Deoras (1915–1996) |
5 June 1973 | 11 March 1994 | 20 years, 279 days | [9][10] |
| 4 | Rajendra Singh (1922–2003) |
11 March 1994 | 10 March 2000 | 5 years, 365 days | [10][11] | |
| 5 | K. S. Sudarshan (1931–2012) |
10 March 2000 | 21 March 2009 | 9 years, 11 days | [12] | |
| 6 |  |
Mohan Bhagwat (born 1950) |
21 March 2009 | Incumbent | 17 years, 36 days | [13] |
Sarkaryavah
| Sarkaryavah of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh | |
|---|---|
| Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh | |
| Type | General secretary of a paramilitary organisation |
| Member of | Sangh Parivar |
| Appointer | Elected by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha |
| Term length | No term limit |
| Formation | c. 1926 or c. 1928 |
| First holder | Gopal Mukund Huddar |
The sarkaryavah (lit. 'General Secretary') serves as the operational head of the RSS. The position is elected by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, in elections that occur once every three years. Gopal Mukund Huddar served as the first sarkaryavah of the organisation. Dattatreya Hosabale is the current sarkaryavah, who has been serving since 2021.[14]
List of officeholders
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 1 |  |
Gopal Mukund Huddar (1902–1981) |
c. 1926 or c. 1928 | c. 1931 | c. 5 years or c. 3 years | [15][16][17] |
| – | H. V. Seshadri (1926–2005) |
c. 1987 | c. 2000 | c. 13 years | [18][19][20] | |
| – | |
Mohan Bhagwat (born 1950) |
c. 2000 | 21 March 2009 | c. 9 years | [19][20] |
| – |  |
Suresh Joshi (born 1947) |
c. March 2009 | 20 March 2021 | c. 12 years | [21] |
| – |  |
Dattatreya Hosabale (born 1954) |
20 March 2021 | Incumbent | 5 years, 36 days | [21] |