Dattatreya Hosabale counters Western misconceptions about RSS

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale visited the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany last month. These visits hold special significance in the context of the organisation observing its centenary year. It isn’t the first time that a senior RSS functionary has visited the West. Visits by RSS functionaries to the Western world have been taking place for decades. The idea has always been to engage with the rest of the world on civilisational issues.

These visits, however, mark a milestone in the RSS’ 100-year journey, as it went much beyond the organisation’s outreach to all sections of society.

Hosabale’s engagements at Stanford University and the Hudson Institute in Washington marked a shift from ‘outreach’ to intellectual engagement on civilisational issues between Indian and US thought leaders. Beyond economics and geopolitics, these interactions could open the doors for new people-to-people engagement between the two great democracies.

Ethical use of technology

On April 17, Hosabale was invited to address Thrive 2026 at Stanford University. The title of the panel — ‘Science, Knowledge Systems and Civilizational Leadership’ — itself explains the foundation of the engagement between important sections of the US intelligentsia and the RSS. He spelt out the contours of this engagement when he said, “The purpose in being here is to share knowledge from Indian civilisation and to learn from the rest of the world.”

Arun Anand

Contrary to the common misconception that the RSS is a revivalist organisation, what Hosabale said in the heart of Silicon Valley may initiate a new debate in the Western world on the key issue of ‘ethical use of technology’. The RSS general secretary emphasised the need for democratising knowledge so that it becomes accessible across societies, placing people on a more equal footing.

He argued that any technology designed for human welfare must be evaluated on three parameters — economy, ecology and ethics. Technologies that widen inequality, degrade nature or violate ethical norms ultimately harm both society and the environment. In this context, he invoked the principle that jnana (knowledge) must be guided by viveka (wisdom or rational discernment).

Busting myths

On April 24, at the Hudson Institute, the RSS general secretary was interviewed by The Wall Street Journal columnist Walter Russell Mead. Hosabale addressed several myths propagated about the RSS, especially in Western academia and media. He rejected the comparison of the RSS with the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist hate group that employed violence, intimidation and terror against minorities in the US. Hosabale called the comparison incorrect, and stated that the RSS sees Hindu identity as civilisational, not religious. He also explained that the RSS is often misunderstood due to long-standing narratives portraying it as anti-minority, anti-Christian, anti-modern and supremacist. That’s not true, because Hindu philosophy is based on oneness and the idea of a universal family, not supremacy.

The fact is that the RSS is less concerned with dispelling misconceptions about itself and more focused on creating synergies on civilisational issues. It is not seeking validation from other countries; rather, its focus is on forging civilisational alliances with like-minded organisations and individuals.

During the US visit, anti-RSS groups attempted a pushback on digital platforms. However, they failed to derail this ‘civilisational dialogue’ between Indian and American societies — one that is poised to gain momentum and deliver mutual benefit in the time to come.

(The writer is a journalist and the author of multiple books on the RSS)