RSS chief inaugurates ABVP’s office in Delhi
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday inaugurated the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s (ABVP) new national office ‘Yashwant’ in Delhi. The multi-storey facility will serve as the central hub for ABVP’s Students’ Experience in Interstate Living (SEIL) project, which aims to foster cultural integration and strengthen ties between northeast India and the rest of the country.
Addressing the gathering, Bhagwat said the new office must be more than a building, it should be a sanctum for meaningful work.
“An office should not merely be a structure of brick and mortar. It must reflect the spirit of dedication and purpose. The soul of the Vidyarthi Parishad lies in its volunteers. Their unity, knowledge and character are what build the organisation,” he said.
He said: “When we achieve something after a lot of hard work, then happiness feels different. Vidyarthi Parishad works as a part of the educational world. Building an office in Delhi is a big thing.”
Highlighting India’s evolving global role, Bhagwat said, “The world is looking towards India in this time of global transition. Where other nations have struggled to find solutions, people are turning to India’s traditional wisdom. It is heartening that the country’s youth are thinking about building a better and happier India.”
The ‘Yashwant’ complex has been named after Prof Yashwantrao Kelkar, regarded as the ideological architect of the ABVP. The inauguration coincides with his birth centenary. The facility is envisioned to support the ABVP’s mission to develop student leadership grounded in the values of Gyaan, Sheel, and Ekta (knowledge, character and unity).
Several senior dignitaries, including former Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, JP Nadda, Dharmendra Pradhan, Piyush Goyal and Mansukh Mandaviya, were present at the inauguration. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also attended the event.
From the RSS, senior leaders, including Mukund CR, Dr Krishna Gopal, Arun Kumar and Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar, were present. ABVP National Organising Secretary Ashish Chauhan, National President Prof Rajsharan Shahi, General Secretary Virendra Singh Solanki, National Women’s Head Manu Sharma Kataria, Delhi State President Tapan Bihari and State Secretary Sarthak Sharma also took part in the ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Shahi said the new office was the result of tireless efforts by hundreds of volunteers. “This is not just a building, but a symbol of collective determination and ABVP’s commitment to student-led nation-building,” he said.
Solanki highlighted ABVP’s expanding presence, particularly in the Northeast where it has over two lakh members and operations in more than 200 locations. “The new office will accelerate our outreach and provide a strategic base for empowering youth,” he added.
The SEIL project, launched in 1966, focuses on cultural exchange and national integration by connecting students from the Northeast with those in other parts of India. The Yashwant complex is expected to play a pivotal role in advancing these goals.
Delhi