Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar

This is the month of the Birthday of H.H. Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar and this article is the collection of facts about HIM. I worked very hard for the collection of these facts from various places.

Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar (February 19, 1906 - June 5, 1973), popularly known as Guruji was the second "Sarsanghchalak" (supreme chief) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Early years

Shri Golwalkar was born on 19 February 1906 at Ramtek near Nagpur, Maharashtra, and was the only surviving son among the nine children of his parents. He was the son of Sadashivrao, a school teacher and Lakshmibai. He spent his childhood in Nagpur.Sadshivrao his father had suffered an era of poverty in his early days. Madhav was brilliant from childhood only, irrespective of living in adverse conditions he mastered over languages like Hindi and English. He was so power full in English Language that he had read Shakespeare in full while he was in primary education.

Shri Golwalkar completed his Bachelor of Science in 1926 and Master of Science degree 1928 with first class in Zoology at Banaras Hindu University founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya.He had also tried to do thesis on Marine Life but was not able to complete due to inability of finance. Later he became a teacher (Guruji in Hindi) at BHU, a name which stuck to him for the rest of his life. Golwalkar came in contact with the Ramakrishna Mission at [Nagpur]. Later, on the expiry of his teaching term, he returned to Nagpur and by 1935, completed his study of law and also obtained L.L.B. Degree.

On 13 January, 1937 Guruji was initiated into the Ramakrishna Order by Swami Akhandananda, a direct disciple of Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and gurubandhu of Swami Vivekananda. Shri Golwalkar eventually received his 'diksha' and became a sanyasi.

Involvement with the RSS

In the meantime, Bhaiyyaji Dani, a student at BHU and a close associate of RSS Sarsanghchalak K. B. Hedgewar, started an RSS shakha (branch). Golwalkar joined the RSS and eventually, following a meeting with Dr.Hedgewar, went to the RSS' "Officers Training Camp" in Nagpur.

Dr. Hedgewar was deeply impressed by Golwalkar and seeing him as a potential successor, persuaded him to take a more active role in the Sangh. On his new role, Golwalkar said: “Like spirituality, organization of the Nation has also been my inclination from early days. I believe that I would be in a better position to achieve it successfully being a part of the Sangh.”. In 1939, he was appointed the Sarkaryavah (General Secretary) of the Sangh.

Dr. Hedgewar eventually died of multiple complications on June 21, 1940, and Golwalkar succeeded him as sarsanghachalak as per the wishes of Dr. Hedgewar, that he had expressed in a letter, that was requested to be opened only after his [(Dr. Hedgewar)] death.

Golwalkar was the force behind the formation of the organisations that comprise today the numerous network of socio-cultural activities in the entire country, popularly referred to as Sangh Parivar.