Rebuilt RSS office has three 13-storey towers, fuses modern tech with ancient architecture

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has moved back its office in the city to its old address after the rebuilding project has been completed. Spread across five lakh sq ft of built-up area over 3.75 acre premises, housing three 13-storey towers and around 300 rooms and offices in total, the sprawling new office, which signals the Sangh's growing presence in the capital, will be used to hold RSS events and provide lodging to RSS workers and leaders.

Sources said the rebuilding exercise of the RSS office has cost nearly ₹150 crore collected through contributions from over 75,000 people sympathetic to the Hindutva organisation's ideology and took over eight years. The delay was due to the disruption and delay forced by the COVID-19 outbreak.

The new RSS office will retain its original name - Keshav Kunj.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat and general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale will be attending a "karyakarta sammelan" of the organisation's Delhi unit on February 19 to mark the beginning of its work from the Jhandewalan office, they added.

Speaking of the rebuilt premises in the national capital, the sources said that RSS had been carrying out its activities out of a rented premises since 2016 following the beginning of the rebuilding and renovation exercise at the place out of which it had been working since 1962.

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Massive transformation

The new premises, a huge transformation from the earlier two-storey building, fuses modern technology with ancient architectural practices to make it airy and exposed to ample sunlight, they said, adding that Gujarat-based architect Anup Dave has designed it.

The three towers (ground floor plus 12 floors) are named Sadhna, Prerna and Archna, while one of its biggest auditoriums is named after Ashok Singhal, a leading Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) functionary closely linked to the Ram temple movement. This modern auditorium can seat 463 persons, while another hall can accommodate an audience of 650 members.

Health clinic and library

The RSS office has accommodation facility for its functionaries and members besides a library, health clinic with a five-bed hospital and its sewage treatment plant, the sources said. It also has solar power facilities to provide for a part of its total electricity needs. The building has a massive solar power facility; its library has 8,500 books and is open to researchers.

The RSS-linked weeklies Panchjanya and Organiser besides publishing firm Suruchi Prakashan, which has been bringing out books and other literature hewed to the Hindutva organisation's ideology, will also have offices in the RSS premises, they added.

The health facilities will be open to the poor people living nearby and outsiders can also make use of the library facilities, the sources said.

The new premises are home to modern and spacious conference rooms and auditoriums.

The RSS had been using a rented place as its office since 2016, following the beginning of the rebuilding and renovation exercise at the place, out of which it had been working since 1962.

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Annual sabha

The sources said that the RSS, which is headquartered in Nagpur, will organise its annual 'Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha', considered its apex decision-making body, in Bengaluru from March 21 to March 23.

Attended by nearly 1,500 persons, including senior functionaries of the RSS and affiliated organisations, the meet will see discussions over key germane issues besides organisational matters and resolutions are passed to outline the Sangh's positions on a host of matters.

Senior BJP leaders, including the party's president, will also attend the exercise.

(With inputs from agencies)