RSS Calls for "Decolonising the Mind" to Correct India's Historical Narrative

In an exclusive interview marking 100 years of the RSS, Hosabale told IANS that while India achieved political freedom, the process of intellectual and cultural decolonisation remains incomplete.

"Decolonisation has to take place," he said, adding that "somewhere it is still not achieved fully".

He said the persistence of a "colonised mind" has led to the spread of narratives that do not reflect historical facts or lived realities of Indian civilisation.

"The political freedom should open the doors for other freedoms, cultural and otherwise," Hosabale said, stressing the need to correct the narrative about India and its civilisational roots.

He pointed to what he described as long-standing distortions in education and public understanding, including the teaching of the Aryan invasion theory.

"Even today, people think that... there was Aryan invasion, though it was proved that there is no such Aryan invasion in India," he said.

Hosabale also highlighted what he called a lack of awareness about India's scientific heritage and contributions, arguing that such gaps have contributed to a diminished sense of national confidence.

"Many a time about our scientific heritage, there is not a full awareness," he said.

Language, he said, is another domain where colonial-era perceptions continue to influence attitudes.

"For all these years... people thought that they are less educated if they speak Indian languages," he said, describing how such beliefs created "a sort of inferiority complex among even the educated class".

Hosabale also challenged narratives that portray India as a relatively recent political construct, asserting that the country has had a deep civilisational unity for centuries.

"We are not a nation in the making. We have been a nation for thousands of years," he said.

He said claims that India became unified only after independence or under colonial rule ignore long-standing cultural continuity across regions.

According to Hosabale, correcting these narratives is essential for achieving "real and complete freedom", as it would reshape how Indians perceive themselves and their place in the world.

The RSS leader linked this intellectual exercise to broader national development, arguing that a confident society rooted in its own civilisational values is better equipped to contribute globally.

"If the India narrative is set right, then decolonisation of mind takes place," he said.

He added that the organisation's efforts over the past century have been aimed at fostering such confidence through cultural awareness and social engagement.

"The impact that RSS has is the Hindu nationalism... pride in our nation and culture and civilisation values," Hosabale said, describing it as a guiding principle for national life.

He said these values remain "relevant even today" and should inform both domestic priorities and India's global role.

Hosabale also framed decolonisation as part of a wider effort to address contemporary global challenges, including identity conflicts, social fragmentation and ideological divisions.

He argued that restoring a balanced understanding of history and culture could strengthen social cohesion and national unity.

At the same time, he acknowledged that the process is ongoing and requires sustained engagement across institutions, including education, media and civil society.

The remarks come as debates over curriculum changes, historical interpretation and cultural identity continue to shape public discourse in India and among the diaspora.

Over the past decade, successive governments have sought to revisit school textbooks, promote Indian languages and highlight indigenous knowledge systems as part of a broader cultural reorientation.

The RSS, founded in 1925, has played a significant role in shaping these debates, with its network of affiliates influencing education, social policy and public discourse.

As the organisation enters its second century, its emphasis on decolonisation signals a continued focus on redefining India's intellectual and cultural framework in both domestic and global contexts.

- IANS