A patriot and founder of the ‘Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’ (RSS), Keshav Baliram Hedgewar was born today on 1st April 1889. He was a great son of mother India who devoted himself entirely for national work.

He was born in a Marathi Deshastha Brahmin family in Nagpur. After matriculating, he decided to go to Kolkata to study medicine.

Hedgewar actively participated in Indian National Congress in the 1920s. But he got disillusioned with their policies and politics. He was deeply influenced by the writings of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

Hedgewar founded RSS in 1925 on the day of Vijayadashami with an aim of promoting the concept of a united India rooted in Hinduism ideology. Gradually all his associates had begun to endearingly call him as 'Doctorji.'

Dr. Hedgewar died of typhoid on the morning of June 21, 1940, in Nagpur. His last rites were performed in the locality of Resham Bagh in Nagpur.

In 1999 Indian Postal Department has issued 300 Paisa (3 Rupee) commemorative postage stamp in the honor of this great son of mother India.

Image Source: Mintage World

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