Keshav Baliram Hedgewar Death Anniversary 2024: Lesser-known Facts About RSS Founder
Dr KB Hedgewar died at the age of 51 on June 21, 1940, after a prolonged illness.
Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar was an Indian political activist and physician. He founded Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on September 27, 1925, on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami. Dr Hedwegar was born on April 1, 1889, in Nagpur, Maharashtra, to a Telugu Brahmin family. His ancestors belonged to the Kandkurti village of then Andhra Pradesh before migrating to Nagpur.
Dr Hedgewar lost his parents to an epidemic of bubonic plague when he was just 13 years old. He was then put under the care of his uncle. After his schooling, Dr Hedgewar pursued medical studies in Kolkata to become a doctor.
In his youth, KB Hedgewar was politically active and participated in movements against colonial British rule.
Around 1919, he became active in the Indian National Congress but left the organisation due to ideological differences. After distancing from Congress, Dr Hedgewar was deeply influenced by freedom fighters like Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.
Dr KB Hedgewar died at the age of 51 on June 21, 1940, after a prolonged illness. A memorial, Hedgewar Smruti Mandir has been established in Nagpur’s Resham Bagh area.
Lesser-known facts about RSS founder
- He was expelled from school for singing Vande Mataram which was a violation of the rules set by the then-British colonial government.
- He was a part of Anushilan Samiti in Bengal, a revolutionary group inspired by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.
- In May 1921, Dr KB Hedgewar was arrested “under sedition” for his speeches at Katol and Bharatwada in Maharashtra.
- DR KB Hedgewar was an active member of Rashtriya Mandal, a group formed by the followers of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
- He was incarcerated for one year for participating in the Non-Cooperation Movement.