Media Release
Mangaluru, Jun 21: The challenges confronting the modern world can be effectively addressed through the life philosophy rooted in Hindu dharma, culture and values, which offers a balanced and sustainable worldview, said Mukund, Akhil Bharatiya Sah-Sarkaryavah of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
He was delivering the keynote address at a public intellectuals’ meet on the theme “RSS Centenary and Global Perspectives”, held at Sanghaniketan in Mangaluru as part of the organisation’s centenary commemorations.
Mukund said the world is steadily moving towards a multipolar global order, while simultaneously undergoing sweeping transitions such as digitisation, de-globalisation, de-carbonisation and demographic change, all of which are reshaping global systems and creating new uncertainties.
He said the Hindu worldview provides a stabilising framework in this shifting global environment.
“The values embedded in our civilisation offer a holistic response to contemporary challenges,” he indicated, stressing balance between development, society and nature.
Describing the RSS as more than an organisation, Mukund said it is an ideology, a movement and a way of life. Over the past 100 years, he said, the organisation has focused on nation-building through character formation, creating individuals who contribute to wider social transformation.
Highlighting what he described as landmark national developments, he cited the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the construction of the Rama Mandir in Ayodhya, the National Education Policy and the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat as examples of systemic change. However, he underlined that social transformation is even more crucial than institutional reform.
“Political or structural change alone is not sufficient; lasting transformation happens only when society changes from within,” he said, stressing the need for shifts in mindset at the individual and family level.
He emphasised values such as social harmony, Swadeshi, environmental protection, family awareness and civic responsibility, noting that without corresponding changes in social behaviour, systemic reforms cannot be sustained in the long term.
On global developments, Mukund observed that the world is moving away from earlier power-centred systems dominated by the US–Russia or US–China axis towards a more unstable and evolving multipolar order. Rapid advancements in technology, global trade networks, energy transitions, environmental concerns and demographic shifts, he said, are reshaping global dynamics.
Expressing concern over demographic changes and imbalances, he said India too must engage in serious reflection on population trends. A balanced demographic structure, he noted, is essential for maintaining social stability and strengthening the family system.
Mukund further said the Hindu worldview has long promoted universal human values through principles such as “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” and “Krinvanto Vishwam Aryam”, which emphasise global unity and collective upliftment. He added that Indian civilisation has historically advocated coexistence with nature rather than exploitation, a philosophy that aligns with modern concepts of sustainable development, though it was articulated by Indian sages thousands of years ago.
He also said that international interest in the RSS and Hindu value systems has been growing, with thinkers and policy experts from several countries reportedly expressing appreciation for its organisational model and suggesting that similar value-based social structures could be relevant in their own societies.
Concluding his address, Mukund said the RSS centenary should be seen not as a ceremonial milestone but as a renewed commitment to accelerate social transformation. He stressed that social change is more enduring than political change and called upon citizens to contribute towards building a value-driven, harmonious and empowered society.