Svayamsevak

(“volunteer”) Rank-and-file member of
the Rashtriya Svayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The RSS is a conservative Hindu organization the express purpose of which is
to provide the leadership cadre for a
revitalized Hindu India; for most of its
history it has characterized its mission
as cultural and character-building
rather than religious or political. The
svayamsevaks are the rank-and-file
members of the local RSS branches
(shakhas), and are thus “foot soldiers”
who make up the organization’s core
membership. The shakhas in any given
area are overseen by a full-time RSS
worker known as a pracharak (“director”), who serves as a liaison between
the local units and the RSS leadership,
and oversees RSS activity in his area.
The svayamsevak is the lowest level
of RSS membership. Most members do
not advance beyond this rank, since to
do so requires complete commitment to
the RSS and its ideals; those who do,
however, are usually gifted leaders. The
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Svayamsevak
primary stress at the shakha level is on
forming personal relationships with
other members, as a way to develop loyalty to the organization. Each shakha, or
local unit, holds a daily meeting.
Activities include an opening ceremony
in which the organization’s saffron banner is raised; traditional games or exercises, including a martial drill; and a discussion period in which RSS ideals can
be disseminated and propagated.