K. B. Hedgewar 1889 – 1940

Biography

Keshav Baliram Hedgewar was born on April 1, 1889, in Nagpur, a city that would become central to his life’s work. He devoted himself to building a movement rooted in his convictions about community and national service. As the founder and first Sarsanghchalak (supreme leader) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Hedgewar established an organization that would grow to become one of the most significant social movements in modern India. His leadership in these formative years shaped the direction and principles of the organization from its inception.

Hedgewar spent most of his adult life in Nagpur, the city of his birth, where he developed and nurtured the organization he had founded. His commitment to his vision remained steady throughout his life, as he worked to build a framework for community engagement and activism. He passed away on June 21, 1940, also in Nagpur, leaving behind the foundations of an institution that would outlive him. His legacy rests primarily in the organizational structure and ideals he established during his lifetime, continuing to influence the movement he created.