New Delhi: In a historic first for India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday released a special ₹100 coin and commemorative postage stamp to mark the centenary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The ₹100 coin is the first in independent India to feature an image of Bharat Mata.
HERE’S THE DIFFERENCE IN ONE IMAGE:
For Cong “Indira was India”
For Sangh “Bharat is Mata”PM releases Rs 100 “Bharat Mata” Coin to mark RSS Centenary. Bharat Mata ki Jai! pic.twitter.com/1HBeUSzKGl
— Rahul Shivshankar (@RShivshankar) October 1, 2025
Bharat Mata on Currency: A First-Ever Tribute
Modi described the coin’s design:
- One side: National Emblem of India
- Other side: Bharat Mata seated on a lion in varad mudra, with swayamsevaks bowing before her.
“This is the first time in India’s history that Bharat Mata has appeared on our currency,” Modi said, calling it a symbol of the RSS’s contribution to nation-building.
राष्ट्रीय स्वयंसेवक संघ की 100 वर्षों की गौरवशाली यात्रा त्याग, निःस्वार्थ सेवा, राष्ट्र निर्माण और अनुशासन की अद्भुत मिसाल है। RSS के शताब्दी समारोह का हिस्सा बनकर अत्यंत गौरवान्वित अनुभव कर रहा हूं।
https://t.co/S4gxc0X3IE— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 1, 2025
Honouring RSS Legacy
The commemorative postal stamp features the 1963 Republic Day Parade, highlighting the participation and pride of RSS volunteers. Modi praised the organisation’s philosophy of “One India, Great India”, noting:
“Unity in diversity has always been the soul of India. If this principle is broken, the nation weakens. Despite challenges, the RSS stands strong, tirelessly serving the country.”
Facing Challenges with Resilience
Reflecting on controversies, Modi said the RSS has faced attempts to malign it, including legal challenges and bans, but has never responded with bitterness:
“The RSS has always accepted both the good and the bad as part of society.”
RSS: A Century of Service
Founded in 1925 in Nagpur by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, the RSS began as a volunteer organisation to promote cultural awareness, discipline, service, and social responsibility. Modi himself started as an RSS pracharak before joining the BJP, which draws ideological roots from the organisation.
