Hindu Concept Embraces Diversity, Says RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat

In a modestly‑staged gathering at a London community centre, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat took a few minutes to explain something that many people outside India might find surprising: the word “Hindu” isn’t meant to lock anyone into a single creed. He said it is, at its heart, a way of acknowledging that India’s ancient civilisational soil has always nurtured many different schools of thought.

“When we say ‘Hindu’, we are not pointing to a single religion or a uniform worship pattern,” Bhagwat told the audience, pausing occasionally as if choosing his words carefully. “From the earliest days of Bharat Varsha, you had atheists, you had polytheists, you had philosophers who debated the nature of reality. All of them called themselves Hindu, because they shared a common cultural soil, even if they walked different paths.”

He went on to stress that this diversity is not a problem to be solved but a feature to be celebrated. “Different routes lead to the same destination,” he added, smiling. “There’s no need for conversion; each pilgrim can reach the summit on his own trail, and that’s perfectly fine.”

The chief also drew a distinction between the idea of a “Rashtra” and the modern nation‑state. According to Bhagwat, a nation‑state is usually bound together by language, a common form of government or a shared economic goal, and it relies on laws to keep everyone in line. By contrast, a “Rashtra” has a purpose first – a higher moral or civilisational aim – and the political structures come later, as tools to serve that purpose.

For Bhagwat, the purpose of a “Hindu Rashtra” is to broadcast a simple truth to the world: “diversity is natural, unity is truth.” He suggested that if the world could see this, it might help ease the many conflicts that arise when people try to force uniformity on others.

The London event was part of a larger outreach program marking the RSS’s centenary. Organized by the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh UK (HSS UK) and the dialogue‑facilitating group Integral, the program – titled “Celebration of Oneness” – brought together more than a hundred community organisations from across Britain. It was the final stop of Bhagwat’s three‑city tour that began in New York and continued in Toronto before landing in the UK.

During his visit, Bhagwat highlighted the RSS’s five‑point agenda for the next decade: fostering social harmony, strengthening family values, promoting environmental responsibility, encouraging self‑reliance, and nurturing civic duty. He also referenced the age‑old Indian maxim “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” – the world is one family – as the guiding principle behind the outreach.

Earlier in August, Bhagwat had spoken in New York at a gathering of the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD), where he addressed a mixed audience of 175 inter‑faith leaders. The RSS’s General Secretary, Dattatreya Hosabale, had already toured the UK, the US and Germany in April 2026, laying the groundwork for today’s dialogue.

While the RSS’s centenary celebrations have attracted both admiration and criticism, Bhagwat’s remarks in London seemed aimed at softening the narrative around the organisation. By portraying “Hindu” as a cultural umbrella rather than a rigid religion, he hinted at a broader, more inclusive vision for India’s place in a pluralistic world.