DR. AMULYA RATNA GHOSH
About 30 years ago, I had the good fortune of acquaintance with Dr. Hedgewar. The Swadeshi Movement and Anti-Partition agitation of Bengal was then in ful swing. A National University, called “The National Council of Education”, was founded by the then leaders to provide for the education of those students who were either expelled from the Government or Government-aided schools for joining the national movement or of those who wished to be educated in institutions free from Government influence and control so that they might freely join the national movement. Students who had their preliminary education in this national university were debarred from entering Government Medical Schools and Colleges; and to provide for the Medical education of such students the late Dr. S.K. Mullick, M.D., M.S. (Edin.), the late Maharajah Monindra Chandra Nandy and other renowned leaders established a medical college. It was denominated as ‘The National Medical College of India and the College of Physicians and Surgeons”. I entered this college in 1910 along with Hedgewar, Aney Savarkar and other Marhatta students. This institution had truly an all-India character. Here flocked together from every part of India, Burma and Ceylon students of a nationalistic turn of mind. Those who have seen the college in those days will admit that the designation of the college was apt and appropriate.
I came to be very intimate with the Marhatta students. They lived in Calcutta in a two-storied building in Kanai Dhar Lane near the College. Very frequently I used to go there and attend their political and literary debates and physical exercises. They also used to come to my place. I vividly recollect an incident of that period. One day during the absence of the professor from the class I challenged Hedgewar to punch upon my arm with all his might as long as he liked, he counter-challenged me on the same term and stiffened the muscles of his arms. I went fisting upon his brawny arms with the whole class watching the result of the contest. Hedgewar did not bulge an inch. I failed into inflict a defeat on him. I was astonished at the strength of endurance and cool courage of Hedgewar. Hegewar was the most intimate of my Marhatta friends. Once there was a quarrel, after which many non-Bengali students left the college but Hedgewar and other Marhatta students did not leave the College nor become unfriendly to me. Political meetings and gatherings were then a frequent occurrence in Calcutta and Marhatta students used to attend these meetings regularly. They had the profoundest respect for Bepin Chandra Pal, Shyam Sunder Chakravarti, Jitendralal Banerjee, Moulvi Liakat Hossain and other leaders of the time. They were lovers of Bengali literature; the works of Bankim Chandra specially appealed to them. Some of them could sing “Bande Mataram” well and loved to hear the national song sung by others. After four years of college life, on completion of their medical course they returned to their respective provinces.
Probably in the year 1926 Dr. Hedgewar along with another young man who, if I remember alright, was introduced to me as Dr. Moonje’s son, came to Calcutta. Last year in a sitting of the Anti-Communal Award Conference held in Calcutta I chanced to meet dr. aney. He spoke to me about Dr. Hedgewar and other Marhatta friends. It was from him that I got the information that Dr. Hedgewar was still a bachelor and he never took to medical practice but dedicated his life, like a true Brahmachari and Karmayogin, to organizing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and this great sacrifice had brought unto him the recognition as an All-India leader. On December 1939, Dr. Hedgewar, Dr. Aney, Dr. Saverkar came along with Veer Savarkar to join the All-India Hindu Mahasabha session at Calcutta and asked me over the phone to meet them at the Mahasabha pandal. Accordingly, I met them at the Mahasabha pandal little knowing that that meeting with Dr. Hedgewar will be the last. I invited Dr. Hedgewar to my place but he promised to pay me a visit after two months when, he said, he would be coming down to Calcutta to organize R.S.S. in Bengal. After the All-India session of the Hindu Mahsabha in Calcutta had been over he fell ill and went for a change to Rajgir (Rajagriha). Before he could fully recoup his health the call of duty took him away to Poona. He thought it urgent to be present at the Central Camp of the R.S.S. at Poona, where he was kept busy for a month in spite of the low condition of his health. Later on he returned to Nagpur where his conditions grew worse till at last he succumbed to his illness. I would never have the good fortune of entertaining that great soul any more in this mortal life. The smiling face, the patriotic soul and the heroic heart is lost to this world. It is a national calamity, a misfortune for the whole Hindu community.
Dr. KB Hedgewar was born in Nagpur in the same house he lived and died, near Raja’s (Bhonsla’s) Kothi in 1889 AD. He came of a cultured Brahmin family well-versed in the Vedas. At the age of six he lost both of the parents on the same day. They were victims of plague. He was brought up by his elder brother Madheo Hedgewar who late on died of the same malady. They were three brothers of whom one is still living and is an erudite Vedic scholar.
Hedgewar was a student of the Neil City High School at Nagpur till 1907. At the time the Risley Circular Board banned the singing of the national anthem “Bande Mataram” in schools. He could not bear this and left school. He intended to appear in the National University Entrance Final Examination in Calcutta. During this time he was living with Sj. Y. S. Aney. Later he took admission in the National Medical College, Calcutta. He was from his very early years extremely patriotic, determined, brave and sincere. In his daily dealings he was kind, sympathetic to others. One day in 1911 at Yeotmai he along with some friends went out for a walk in the city near the Civil Lines. A European Deputy Commissioner had a bad habit of expecting salam from every Indian who happened to pass by. This Deputy Commissioner accompanied by a European Civil Surgeon and a Circle Inspector of Police were also passing by. Hedgewar was warned by his friends that the “Salamophobia” Sahib was coming and it was better to avoid him by diverting the route. Dr. Hedgewar did not pay any heed to the suggestion of his friends and sauntered on straight through the middle of the road. He was stopped on the road by the D.C. who interrogated him about his name and whereabouts and whether it was the not know to him that he should meekly salam any European he should chance to meet on the road and make way for him respectfully. Hedgewar replied that he was inhabitant of the capital city of the place where this sort of salam was unknown and hated by every self-respecting gentleman, and that his culture and education taught him equality of man and not to bow down to anyone. The bold answer and courageous stand bewildered the D. C. but the Civil Surgeon and the Inspector threatened Hedgewar of consequences. And advised him to apologise, but Hedgewar went away without paying any attention to that advice. He was a true devotee of Lokmanya Tilak. He followed in his foot-steps till the last day of his life. He was the real worshipper of Sakti and under the inspiration of Sakti created his famous ‘Sangh’ which has become the foremost Hindu Volunteer Organisation imparting military training and discipline.
Dr. Hedgewar took his inspiration from Bengal during the Partition days. After the deat of Lokmanya Tilak and the Congress Session at Nagpur in 1920, Dr. Hedgewar in 1921 courted imprisonment by joining the Civil Disobedience Movement. From 1925 onward he applied himself solely to the task of organising the Hindus. His aim was Hindu solidarity and Hindu Rashtra. He did the spade work himself. Within this short period of 15 years hi sangh has achieved so much that it can now boast of 750 branches spread all over India and 1, 25, 000 units (Swayamsewaks).
From 1909 to 1911 while he was in Calcutta his “Shantiniketan Lodge” at Kanai Dhar Lane was frequently visited by the late Shyam Sunder Chakravarty, the late Bepin Chandra Pal and other renowned personalities. He was intimately connected with the activities of the late Moulavi Liakat Hossain, the old veteran Muslim patriot of that age. He was greatly attached to the Ramkrishna Mission for its humanitarian work. He also worked as volunteer during the Great Damodar flood and for Ganga Sagar pilgrims.. He had come to be acquainted with the youths of Bengal and been attracted by their ideal.
Dr. Hedgewar died in Nagpur of high blood pressure at the age pof 51 only. Just one day before his death Sri Subhas Chandra Bose went to see him. News of his death soon spread like wild fire. in spite of heavy shower and storm, a vast number of people soon collected and carried his mortal frame in a huge procession which started towards the cremation ground at 5 P. M. His funeral pyre was laid by special permission in the Reshmi Bag garden. Fire soon consumed up his mortal remains, leaving behind his glorious example to be followed by his countrymen, and his invaluable organisation, his gift to Hindudom – the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
The Marhatta of Nagpur writes under the heading, “Maharashtra in Mourning”:
“Dr. K. B. Hedgewar, the founder of the R. S. S. expired on Friday the 21 st at Nagpur. The news spread like wild fire. Early on Thursday Sj. Subhas Chandra Bose had called on him but could not talk to him as his condition was serious. Dr. Hedgewar’s funeral procession was the most impressing procession Nagpur had ever witnessed. Inspite of heavy rains the procession had started at 5 p. m. and was attended by all the prominent citizens of Nagpur…..The pyre was laid by special permission on the grounds of Rashmi Bagh. Barrister Savarkar, Dr. Moonje, Loknayak Aney, M.L.A., Dr. Varadarajlu Naidu, Sanjiv Kamatah, Mr. A. S. Bhide, Dr. Aney and other prominent people sent their condolences to the relatives of Dr. Hedgewar. Public condolence meetings were held throughout Maharashtra.
It is indeed a great blow to the fate of the entire Hindu nation that the man who understood the real meaning of Sangathan and achieved the R.S.S. should pass away so early leaving his work unfinished…….“ Nearly a decade before the Hindu Mahasabha adopted the ideal of Hindu Rashtra, indifferently translated as Hindu Nation, the R.S.S. had adopted it. it was Dr. Hedgewar who awakened the Hindus to appreciate the common bond of Hindusthan and Hindutwa; it was he who made it a living tie to bind the young Hindu generation…..” Veer Savarkar, after the first shock of grief was over, exclaimed, “Dr. Hedgewar is dead – Long Live Dr. Hedgewar – Long Live R.S.S.”
The Author: Dr. A.R. Ghosh had been the classmate of Dr. Hedgewar, fellow in dreaded Anushilan Samiti and also one of the pioneers of Hindu Mahasabha in Bengal. Besides being an exemplary medico, he was known also for his muscular regimen and martial fierceness. This article was printed first in The Modern Review – 1941
