“I used to attend RSS shakhas during my childhood and studied at the Gadde Venkata Satyanarayana Shishu Vidya Mandir run by them. It was through revered teachers such as Sri Shanagavarapu Venkateswarlu garu and Sri Akula Venkata Ratna Rao garu that I learned values such as patriotism, devotion to God, commitment to duty, Nishkama Karma, the teachings of the Bhagavadgita, inspiring stories of selfless patriots, and the greatness of characters from the Ramayana and Mahabharata,” said Dr. L.V. Gangadhara Sastry, renowned Gita singer, preacher and propagator, and founder chairman of Bhagavadgita Foundation.
Dr. Sastry said that these early influences inspired him to dedicate his life to recording the complete Bhagavadgita in musical form and to propagating its teachings. He described RSS, in his view, as an organization that develops selfless patriots and noted that its pracharaks serve across the country, beyond regional boundaries.
Speaking about the completion of a hundred years of service by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Dr. Sastry said it was heartening to see thousands of Hindu Sammelan programs being organized across the country. He said that these gatherings should serve as an opportunity to reflect on the progress made over the past century and to examine the challenges facing the nation and Sanatana Dharma today.
He emphasized the need to create greater awareness and interest among the younger generation about the RSS shakha system and the values associated with it. He also expressed concern over religious conversions, attacks on Sanatana Dharma, and incidents that he described as threats to the identity, security and cultural continuity of Hindus in India.
Dr. Sastry emphasized that Sanatana Dharma can be protected only through practicing and responsible individuals. Addressing mothers, he appealed to them to pass cultural and spiritual knowledge to their children from a young age. He said, “Teach your children at least one Bhagavadgita shloka because they are born in this country, and a verse of Pothana because they are born in the Telugu land. In this way, preserve your identity and cultural heritage.”
He also referred to the teaching of Bhagavadgita-based courses at universities abroad and questioned why the teachings of the Gita should not receive greater attention in the land where the Bhagavadgita originated. He cited the Bhagavadgita course titled “A Journey of Transformation” taught to MBA students at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, USA, and asked what governments and Hindus in India could do to promote greater awareness of the Gita.
Calling upon everyone to protect Sanatana Dharma and India, Dr. Sastry said that the universal values of Sanatana Dharma form a foundation for respecting and treating all people equally. He encouraged people to actively uphold these values while remaining committed to the cultural and spiritual heritage of the nation.
The program was attended by Sri Telukuntla Srinivas Reddy garu, President of the Hindu Sammelan Samiti, and Sri Appala Prasad ji, Convener of the All India Social Harmony Arts Division of RSS.
