Dr Mohan Bhagwat is a third-generation swayamsevak in the family. Mohanji’s grandfather was from Satara and moved to Nagpur. He studied Law from Allahabad University, got a government job but refused it because he was a patriotic member of the Congress party. He decided to set up private practice. He was a member of state Congress committee. Senior Bhagwat began to practise in Baroda and then moved to Chandrapur. He was a friend of Dr Hedgewar who ultimately appointed him as the district Sanghchalak when he founded the RSS. He was given the oath of the RSS personally by Dr Hedgewar.
Mohanji’s father Madhukar Bhagwat was born in Baroda and joined the RSS at a young age when they moved to Chandrapur. He went to Fergusson College in Pune and became a prachaarak around 1934. Interestingly, his father was fine with him being a prachaarak. However, Doctorji first asked him to work for the Sangh in Pune before he became a prachaarak. He was referred to as the father of the RSS ghosh (band) of Pune as he had played a big role in its formation. He was later deputed to Gujarat as a state prachaarak and created a foundation for the Sangh there. When Madhukarji’s lawyer brother lost his wife, Madhukarji was asked to return to the family to share family responsibilities.
Madhukarji returned to Chandrapur and got married. His wife was from Satara. Her father too was a lawyer. Madhukarji remained a prachaarak till 1951. After Mohanji’s birth, he returned to Chandrapur to study law and begin his practice. He was Chandrapur karyavaah during this time. Thus, it can be seen that Mohanji’s family had a tradition of lawyers as well as RSS.
Mohanji studied in Chandrapur till standard X and then moved to Nagpur for further studies. He completed his Bachelors in Veterinary Sciences (BVSc) there and ran a shakha in the college too. He was a good singer and an expert player of the flute and drums. He took part in various cultural activities including drama and college orchestra. He then began his Master’s programme. However, he left it half way during Emergency and became a prachaarak. After this, his visits to Chandrapur decreased. However, because of his affectionate nature, he visited his family regularly to meet his siblings. Not only this, even while he was on any college tour, he would make it a point to visit his relatives there.
After his responsibilities increased, the visits became rarer, especially after he became Sarkaryavaah in the RSS. But he made it a point to visit home during Ganesh festival. Such was his dedication to his work that when his mother died, the then Sarkaryavaah Sudarshanji told his father that he could send Mohanji back. But he refused and came only on the tenth day of her death. When his father died, he was in a remote area and came home on the third day but stayed back till the thirteenth day until the completion of religious ceremonies. A prachaarak is a family man only for the outside world, but in reality he is like a mendicant without saffron clothing.
Like all prachaaraks, he has worked in many states and regions of Bharat. He was deputed to the Northeast like most of the RSS prachaaraks from Maharashtra. He was the all-India physical training in-charge. He was also in-charge of prachaaraks’ care and coordination. In 2000, he became Sarkaryavaah when Prof Rajendra Singh retired in favour of K.S. Sudarshan as Sarsanghchaalak and H.V. Sheshadri stepped down as Sarkaryavaah. He was nominated as Sarsanghchaalak of the RSS on 21 March 2009 by Sudarshanji who retired due to ill health.
Mohanji recalled, while paying his tribute to Sudarshanji: “Sudarshanji had finished his matric exam with top honours from Jubilee High School in Chandrapur. He probably used to visit our house; I was very young at that time. When Sudarshanji became prant prachaarak, my father told me, ‘See, Sudarshan was a merit holder in board exams and now he is prant prachaarak. You should also study well and become a prachaarak. You need to study very well if you want to be a prachaarak.”
Sudarshanji’s brilliance touched and influenced Mohanji. Routine visits from senior RSS workers and prachaaraks to his home had an abiding influence on his personality.
There is thirty-four years of tapasya or hard work as a prachaarak behind this genial personality. He has a ready smile and relaxed presence that is always open to new ideas. He has been overseas to address People of Indian Origin (PIO) at various occasions and visit programmes of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh. His last visit was to Chicago to address the World Hindu Conference organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
AN OPEN-MINDED ORGANISER
Balasaheb Deoras used to say, any experiment is welcome. If it fails, it is no problem. If it succeeds, share it with others so the idea can be spread. Dr Bhagwat believes in the same approach. He adds that there can be no compromise on principles of Hindu Rashtra and Hindutva; beyond this any other new idea and approach is welcome. I have been to many of his meetings and seen his open-minded approach to any new idea. It is common to hear him say, “Why not? Let us try.”
With him, one doesn’t feel overwhelmed that one is sitting with a very big leader. It is easy to talk to him without any hesitation or reserve. Like his predecessors, he discourages people from taking his photograph. After a meeting at my home, a swayamsevak requested for a photograph. He asked him, “Why do you wish to take my photograph?” The flustered swayamsevak said, “For my memory.” He said with a smile, “But, I am still around, no?”
When Dr Bhagwat took over, the coordination between different affiliates of the RSS was at a low ebb. Dr Bhagwat’s first job as the head of the large family tied by a common national vision and philosophy, was to inject warmth and confidence in these relations and improve coordination. Results of his exertions have been visible. He has been able to create the right environment and confidence between different organisations.
REACHING OUT TO UNTOUCHED SECTIONS
Dr Bhagwat’s significant contribution has been to reach out to those segments of society that had previously remained outside the purview of the RSS. This included leaders of various sects and religions as well as industry, commerce and opinion leaders. He has been meeting political leaders too as a goodwill gesture. The idea for these meetings has been to explain the RSS’s views on various national and local issues and get their feedback, and also remove their misgivings about the RSS. The response has been uniformly gratifying.
The visit of ex-President Pranab Mukherjee followed by an industrialist like Shiv Nadar to Nagpur illustrates the warm relations he has been able to strike with people from varied ideological backgrounds. He has been able to explain the RSS to various segments of society, which illustrates his communication skills. This is evident from the attendance of top opinion leaders at the annual Vijayadashami festival, that also happens to be the RSS’s foundation day, in Nagpur.
One of his earlier decisions as RSS chief was to approve a change in the RSS uniform from half-length to full-length trousers. This was done after receiving feedback from the youth who are attracted to the RSS. Many traditionalists, though, still felt an emotional attachment to the earlier uniform. This small step was an indication to the youth that the RSS was flexible and open to change with the changing times.
JUDICIOUS USE OF MEDIA
Media-related activity in the RSS was introduced in the 1990s after nearly seventy years of its existence. However, it had not picked up speed or spread the way it should have. It hadn’t yet created a space for itself in the media and or gained traction in public perception. Dr Bhagwat’s openness to changing dynamics of the society and world with changing modes of communication influenced this activity in a big way.
From the beginning of his term, the RSS has taken up media interaction more aggressively, embracing emerging technologies. Dr Bhagwat adopted a more easy-going approach with media. One can witness a sea change in how the RSS is now looked upon by the media and people in general due to this openness. The RSS has shown readiness to let its swayamsevaks appear on TV shows and put forward their views on socio-political issues.