New Delhi: Dattatreya Hosabale has been re-elected to serve as the general secretary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) from 2024 to 2027. The Sangh’s supervisory and executive body, Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), re-elected Hosabale as ‘sarkaryavah’ Sunday.
‘Sarkaryavah’ is the second-highest executive post in the RSS after ‘sarsanghchalak’, currently held by Mohan Bhagwat. Hosabale, 69, who reportedly has a good rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has held the post since 2021.
Hosabale hails from Soraba in Karnataka’s Shivamogga and holds a postgraduate degree in English. While pursuing his undergraduate degree at Bengaluru National College, Hosabale plunged into politics during protests against the Emergency that the then-prime minister Indira Gandhi imposed in 1975.
At the time, Hosabale was imprisoned for over a year under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA), which was introduced to detain people deemed a threat to the country’s security and sovereignty.
During his student days, Hosabale was active in academics and literary activities in Karnataka and came in contact with journalists and writers, including Y. N. Krishnamurthy and Gopalakrishna Adiga. He is also founding editor of Kannada monthly Aseema.
BJP MP Rakesh Sinha told ThePrint, “At a very young age he started work for ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) in Karnataka. During the 80s, not only did he establish rapport with intellectuals of Hindutva ideology while working in Karnataka but also followers of Samajwadi ideology.”
Sinha also cited Dattatreya’s intervention in shaping the Sangh’s viewpoint on Article 377. “His stand was ratified by RSS on decriminalisation of homosexuality. He always gave thrust on socio-economic welfare of the marginalised,” added Sinha.
When Hosabale first became the Sangh’s general secretary in 2021, his proximity to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS expansion plans in the South were cited as the main reasons behind the decision. Since 2024 is an election year, Hosabale helming affairs in the RSS fits well with the BJP mission in the South this time, as well, said a BJP leader.
“He will be instrumental in the RSS centenary year celebrations in 2025, as well,” an RSS source told ThePrint.
Popularly known as ‘Datta ji’ in the Sangh, most describe him as a man with an affable personality.
“Aap unse milenge toh lagega apne ghar ke vyakti se hee mil rahe hai. (When you meet him, it will seem like you’re meeting someone from your family),” said an RSS functionary.
The functionary recounted an RSS function where Hosabale knew the names of every single person in the room. “He is such a senior person and ends up meeting thousands of people, but still makes it a point to remember their names.”
Hosabale joined the RSS in 1968 and worked in its student affiliate, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), from 1972 onwards. In 1978, he became a full-time ‘pracharak’ with several responsibilities in the ABVP. “He worked in Assam and was instrumental in setting up Guwahati’s Youth Development Centre, which helped the RSS expand its base in the northeast,” the functionary said.
In December 1992, Hosabale was made the ABVP sangathan mantri (general secretary, organisation).
“He speaks his mind and even during his interactions with the press, he doesn’t speak with any riders,” said another RSS functionary.
Apart from his mother tongue Kannada, Hosabale communicates fluently in many languages, including English, Tamil, Marathi, Hindi, and Sanskrit. He has travelled extensively across India and abroad and was the founder and general secretary of Vishwa Vidyarthi Yuva Sangathan (WOSY), an organisation of foreign students in India.
Another Sangh functionary said that due to his long association with ABVP, Hosabale has a huge network of people. “During ‘pravas’ (foreign trips), he has to meet many people in his official capacity but wherever he travels he makes it a point to call old associates and meet them,” said the functionary.
In 2003, Hosabale became the Sangh’s ‘akhil bharatiya sah bauddhik pramukh‘ (in charge of intellectual training). In 2009, he became the Sangh’s ‘sah sarkaryavah’ (joint general secretary), a position he enjoyed till 19 March 2021.
As the general secretary, Hosabale will appoint the central office-bearers and preside over the ABPS annual meetings. Six joint general secretaries, Krishna Gopal, Arun Kumar, Mukunda CR, Ram Dutt Chakradhar, Atul Limaye, and Alok Kumar, will assist him. Atul Limaye has roots in Maharashtra and Alok Kumar, who has worked in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, etc., are the new joint general secretaries, while the others have been in this post.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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