Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on Saturday attended a programme titled "Priya Kelkar Ji," organised to mark the birth centenary year of Yashwant Rao Kelkar, the organisational architect and former national president of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the RSS-affiliated student organisation.
The programme was organised by the ABVP's Delhi unit at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Civic Centre in the national capital. Addressing the gathering, Hosabale said, "Kelkar ji provided the organisational principles on which ABVP's strong foundation was built. He ensured that ABVP was not limited merely to agitations, but was guided towards constructive work, representation and nation-building."
He added, "Kelkar Ji presented an ideal model of organisational life. He was a personality who carried everyone together without any jealousy or bitterness. His life remains an eternal source of inspiration for workers."
During the programme, a performance troupe led by Milind Bhadge from Pune presented "Priya Kelkar Ji," portraying the life, ideas, and organisational methodology of the late ABVP president. Also present were several current and former ABVP office-bearers, including national president Raghuraj Kishore Tiwari, among others.
Senior RSS members, vice-chancellors, registrars and professors from various universities, the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, ministers of the Delhi government, functionaries of other Sangh-affiliated organisations, and a large number of students attended the programme.
Yashwantrao Kelkar was born on April 25, 1925, in Pandharpur (Solapur), Maharashtra. He became an RSS pracharak in 1945. In 1955, he began teaching English at National College and, following the directions of the RSS, started working for the ABVP. His contributions to the student organisation have been widely recognised, and the centenary event served as a tribute to his enduring legacy.
The gathering underscored the impact of Kelkar's organisational skills and his role in shaping ABVP into a constructive force in Indian student politics. The event concluded with a commitment to carry forward his vision of nation-building through disciplined and dedicated work.
