Land of the Rising Sangh

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THE HISTORY OF RASHTRIYA SWAYAMSEVAK SANGH in northeast India begins in 1946. In October that year, Dadarao Parmarth, Vasantrao Oak and Krishna Paranjpe first set foot in the province of Assam, which included most of what is today northeastern India. The three pracharaks—full-time RSS workers—established the region’s first shakhas—branches—in Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Shillong, where their recruits congregated every day.

After the RSS adherent Nathuram Godse assassinated MK Gandhi, on 30 January 1948, the organisation was banned across India. After the ban was lifted the following year, MS Golwalkar, the RSS’s second sarsanghchalak—supreme leader—sent Thakur Ram Singh to oversee the organisation’s work in Assam. Singh remained in the role until 1971.