Silent Architects: A rare glimpse into the lives of RSS functionaries

Ramesh Prakash played a vital role during the Emergency, running underground operations, evading arrest, guiding RSS cadres. (Source: PTI)

(RSSFACTS is a column that demystifies the functioning, organisational structure and ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.)

There are innumerable unsung heroes in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) who have helped build it into the world’s largest voluntary movement over the last 100 years. Most importantly, the work ethic that shaped these hundreds of thousands of eternal ‘back room’ workers is deeply embedded in the functioning, philosophy, and organisational structure of the Sangh.

However, at times there are exceptions. Though very rare, they are important, as they help one understand what motivates millions of RSS cadres to live a life of sacrifice, dedication, and ideological commitment—day after day, year after year, and decade after decade.

Earlier this week, RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat released a collection of memoirs about one such RSS functionary who played a stellar role in establishing the RSS as a force to reckon with in northern India. He was also a key mentor to BJP stalwarts like Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, Madan Lal Khurana, and others. Speaking about his life, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “I hope that the young generation can take inspiration from his thoughts and ideals and make invaluable contributions to the cause of nation-building.”

PM Modi wrote this message in Tan Samarpit, Man Samarpit (“Dedicating Body, Mind and Soul”), a collection of memoirs about the RSS stalwart Ramesh Prakash. While releasing this publication, Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat himself spoke about how the Sangh grew and expanded its footprint due to the selfless and tireless service of its swayamsevaks.

Ramesh Prakash: Organiser Par Excellence

There is no formal written record of the work done by RSS functionaries in terms of their achievements. However, around 50 Sangh functionaries who worked closely with Ramesh Prakash have painstakingly documented their memories of working with him. The resulting compilation is a treasure trove of information about how the RSS expanded in northern India and how it later helped both the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party grow. The life sketch that emerges from these personal recollections reveals how RSS functionaries often keep a low profile while having a highly impactful presence.

Born in Haryana in 1933, Ramesh Prakash joined the RSS at a young age when the organisation itself was still in its nascent stage. He initially worked in the Karnal area of Haryana and later became an RSS Pracharak (full-time worker). He was posted to Punjab and Himachal Pradesh as well. In the 1960s, he moved to Delhi and eventually married after relinquishing his Pracharak responsibilities. (In the RSS, full-time workers or Pracharaks are expected to remain unmarried. Many serve in this capacity for a few years before returning to a regular household life.)

From 1965 onwards, he began building the RSS organisational structure in Delhi and took it to the next level, establishing hundreds of RSS shakhas (branches) across the state. He became the Prant Karyavah (Chief Executive of the Delhi RSS Unit) and later the Uttar Kshetra Karyavah (Chief Executive of the Northern India region in the RSS).

An MA in Economics, Ramesh Prakash declined a lucrative job offer from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), choosing instead to work as a teacher in a private school in Delhi, which allowed him more time for organisational work. Ishwar Das Mahajan, another former Prant Karyavah of Delhi and a fellow teacher, recalled Ramesh Prakash’s important role in expanding the network of RSS-inspired schools and making them centres of educational excellence.

Today, Vidya Bharati, an RSS-inspired education network, runs more than 20,000 schools, educating over three million children across India.

Leaders like former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Union Minister Shanta Kumar have credited Ramesh Prakash with quietly building the base of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and, later, the BJP, brick by brick.

“Our party is reaping the gains of the hard work he put in relentlessly for years,” writes Shanta Kumar in his memoir.

One of the lesser-known facts about Ramesh Prakash is his important role in coordination with the BJP. Alok Kumar, a former BJP leader and currently the International President of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, shared insights into the calming effect Ramesh Prakash had on agitated BJP leaders and how he was often able to mediate and resolve differences.

Another lesser-known aspect of his life is the contribution he and his wife, Asha Sharma, made to the Rashtra Sevika Samiti, the RSS-inspired women’s organisation. They played a pivotal role in its expansion in Delhi and North India. For several years, their residence even served as the Delhi office of the Samiti.

Ramesh Prakash also played a vital role during the Emergency, running underground operations, evading arrest, guiding RSS cadres, and looking after the families of swayamsevaks detained under various draconian laws imposed by the Congress government.

Despite his significant influence, the most vivid image remembered by all who contributed to this remarkable collection of memoirs is of Ramesh Prakash riding an old two-wheeler scooter across Delhi, tirelessly visiting the homes of dozens of fellow swayamsevaks every day, preparing them, motivating them, and grooming them to dedicate their lives to the RSS and its cause.

He passed away in Delhi in 2017, at the age of 84.

Earlier RSSFACTS columns can be read here.