Dr. Hedgewar Jayanti Celebration on19/03/2026
Personality Maker - State Hero: Dr. Hedgewar
April 1, 1889. The auspicious Ugadi Day. The city of Nagpur is filled with joy. On that day, a baby boy was born in a traditional family. He was named Keshav Rao Baliram Hedgewar. His father was Baliram Pant Hedgewar, and his mother was Revatibai. Raised in a family that valued our culture, morality, and patriotic values, Keshav grew into a great man who would light the flame of patriotism in the hearts of millions of young people in the future. Patriotism burned like a fire in his heart from childhood. Once, during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria of Britain, sweets were distributed to the children at the school. While all the children were happily eating, little Keshav held the sweets in his hand and thought for a while. Then he went outside and threw them in the garbage. “Why should we celebrate those who enslaved our country?” he asked. That day, the voice of the future revolutionary was heard in the very question of the child.
Another incident also shows how strong patriotism was in Keshav’s mind. The British flag was flying over a fort in Nagpur. Little Keshav, along with his friends, made a bold plan — to take down that flag and hoist the Indian flag there. They even tried to secretly dig a tunnel to get into the fort. Making such a big decision at such a young age surprised everyone. Although the attempt was ultimately unsuccessful, this incident showed how deeply patriotic little Keshav was.
Time passed. Even though he lost his parents to plague at the age of ten, Keshav did not give up and continued his studies courageously. Once, when he saw a British officer who came to school, everyone stood silent. But Keshav roared, “Vande Mataram!” Angered by that roar, the British authorities expelled him from the school, but his voice did not stop. Later, Keshav Rao went to Calcutta to pursue medical education and made acquaintances with the revolutionaries there. He met with revolutionary organizations such as the ‘Anushilan Samiti’. After completing his medical education and becoming a doctor, he faced a decision: should he live a comfortable life? Or should he dedicate his life to the country? He chose the latter path. Thinking that family responsibilities would be an obstacle to his goal, he devoted himself to serving the country and never married for the rest of his life. He had only one family — the country and the society.
It was with this aim that he participated in the freedom movement. In 1921, the British government sent him to jail. Standing before the judge, he bravely roared: “The rule of foreigners over this country is unjust. It is not only my right, but my duty to oppose it!” After being released from jail, Dr. Ji realized something great. Movements are going on, thousands of people are going to jail, but the rule of foreigners continues. He understood that the country had become weak due to a lack of unity in society and discipline among individuals. He decided that in order to strengthen the country, the individual must first be built. This is the theory of ‘individual building’ that he proposed.
With this great idea, on the day of Vijayadashami in 1925, he founded the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Nagpur. The first branch was very small. There were only a few young men. Many laughed when they played games with sticks and exercised on the ground. “How can you save the country by playing games with sticks like this?” they taunted. But Dr. Ji saw his goal clearly. He knew that the future of India was being built in those small branches. He had no money, no power. But it was his immense love for the workers that drove the organization forward. Later, in a 1926 meeting, the name “Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh” was adopted for this organization.
The foresight shown by Dr. Ji in expanding the Sangha work was extraordinary. In his last days, he prepared Madhav Sadashivrao Golwalkar (Sri Guruji), who had immense intelligence and spiritual vision, as his successor, thinking that this sacred work should not go astray. Dr. Hedgewar left this world on June 21, 1940. But the seed he planted has grown into a great tree today. There are many heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country. But the Maharishi who made millions of heroes for the country is Dr. Keshavrao Baliram Hedgewar.
Teacher Tasks
Story Analysis (Questions and Answers)
Question: Why did the little Keshav throw away the sweets? What is the quality we should learn from this?
(Answer: We should learn to have hatred for foreign rule, love for indigenous things and self-respect.)
Question: What is the 'personality building' proposed by Dr. Ji?
(Answer: For a nation to become strong, the first person must become disciplined and patriotic. A building will be strong only if a brick is strong.)
Question: Why did Dr. Ji choose Shri Guruji as his successor?
(Answer: He foresaw that a leader with immense intelligence and spiritual commitment was needed to ensure that the ideology did not go astray.)
Expression (Creativity)
● Role Play:
1. Make a drama of Keshav's attempt to change the flag on the fort with his friends.
2. Act out the scene of Dr. Ji roaring in front of the judge in the British court.
● Pledge: "I will serve my country from small tasks, being selfless and disciplined like Dr. Ji." The children should say this.
Practical work (Implementation)
Self-discipline: From this week onwards, the children should get into the habit of waking up before sunrise every morning and making their own bed.
Sanskar Rakshana: After bathing every day, we should wear a tilak (a dot) on our foreheads and proudly display our dharma.
Leadership training: While on the field, everyone should perform disciplined exercises or Surya Namaskar together for at least 15 minutes.
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