New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a special commemorative Rs 100 coin and a postage stamp on Wednesday to mark the centenary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The coin carries the national emblem on one side. The reverse side depicts Bharat Mata in Varada Mudra, a lion at her side, and RSS swayamsevaks bowing before her. The coin also bears the RSS motto “Rashtray Swaha, Idam Rashtraya, Idam Na Mama,” meaning everything is for the nation, nothing is personal. Modi described the moment as historic, noting that this is the first time Bharat Mata has appeared on Indian currency.
The postage stamp issued alongside portrays swayamsevaks in the 1963 Republic Day Parade, reflecting the RSS’s place in India’s social and political landscape.
The ceremony, organised by the Ministry of Culture, was attended by RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
The RSS, founded in Nagpur in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, has played a central role in shaping Hindu nationalist ideology. Modi himself was once an RSS pracharak before entering mainstream politics through the BJP.
While the government projects the commemorative coin as recognition of the organisation’s discipline and service, critics warn it signals deeper cultural and political shifts. Civil society groups argue that incorporating RSS imagery into national currency risks blurring the lines between state symbols and ideological representation. Observers suggest the move reinforces the RSS-BJP connection, while also intensifying debates on India’s pluralism and the place of religion in state affairs.
