Mohan Bhagwat

Introduction

Mohan Bhagwat is a politician and activist now serving as the 6th and current Sarsanghchalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in India. In March 2009, he was appointed to succeed K. S. Sudarshan. Mohan Madhukar Bhagwat was born in Chandrapur, then part of the Bombay State, into a Marathi family.

Family

His family had a long history of RSS connections, with his father, Madhukar Rao, serving as Karyavah for the Chandrapur zone before going to Prant Pracharak for Gujarat. Malati, his mother, was also a member of the Women's Wing.

Educational Qualifications

Bhagwat continued his studies at Lokmanya Tilak Vidyalaya before beginning his Bachelor of Science at Janata College in Chandrapur. He chose to study Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry at the Government Veterinary College in Nagpur and quit his postgraduate course in 1975 to become a full-time RSS Pracharak. In 1977, after joining the RSS during the Emergency, Bhagwat was appointed in charge of Akola in Maharashtra.

Career

His career grew, and from 1991 to 1999, he was India's Akhil Bharatiya Sharirik Pramukh (in charge of physical training). He was afterward appointed Akhil Bharatiya Pracharak Pramukh (in charge of RSS volunteers working full-time for India). K. S. Sudarshan took over as chief after Rajendra Singh and H. V. Sheshadri retired in 2000 due to illness. Bhagwat was elevated to Sar Karyavah (general secretary). In 2017, the then President Pranab Mukherjee called Bhagwat to Rashtrapati Bhawan for the first time.

During its convocation event in Nagpur in 2017, the government-run Animal and Fishery Sciences University awarded an honorary Doctor of Science (DSc) degree to Mohan Bhagwat.

Association with RSS

After hiding out during the Emergency, Bhagwat progressed through the organization's ranks in charge of the Nagpur and Vidarbha districts to become the "Pracharak" of Akola in Maharashtra in 1977. He was appointed 'Akhil Bharatiya Sharirik Pramukh,' or 'in-charge of physical training,' for India from 1991 until 1999. The title "Akhil Bharatiya Pracharak Pramukh" was given to him afterward.

As a result of their declining health, Rajendra Singh, and H. V. Sheshadri decided to resign from their positions as RSS Chief and general secretary in 2000. K. S. Sudarshan was chosen to replace them, and Bhagwat was appointed "Sarkaryavah," or general secretary.

On March 21, 2009, Bhagwat was selected as the RSS's Sarsanghchalak (Chief Executive). After K. B. Hedgewar and M. S. Golwalkar, he is one of the youngest leaders to lead the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. In June 2015, the Indian government directed the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to provide Bhagwat with round-the-clock security due to a high threat perception from various Islamist terrorist organizations. So, he is among the most protected Indians because of Z+ VVIP security cover.

Bhagwat was the first head of the RSS to get a formal invitation to the Rashtrapati Bhawan from then-President Pranab Mukherjee in 2017. As part of his outreach efforts, Mohan Bhagwat presided over a three-day meeting at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi in September 2018.

At the time, he said that RSS had removed portions of M. S. Golwalkar's "Bunch of Thoughts" that were no longer pertinent to the situation.

Mohan Bhagwat Security

The Indian government instructed the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to guard Bhagwat 24 hours a day in June 2015 due to a heightened perception of the threat posed by different Islamist terrorist groups. With Z+ VVIP security cover, Bhagwat is one of the most protected Indians in the modern era.

Awards and Recognition

During its convocation event in Nagpur in 2017, the government-run Animal and Fishery Sciences University conferred an honorary Doctor of Science (DSc) degree on Mohan Bhagwat.