Today, on the 28th of May, we celebrate the birth anniversary of a visionary thinker, a prolific writer and orator, a revolutionary freedom fighter and one of the founding members of the historical India House. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar of Veer Savarkar as he is popularly known, needs no introduction. His fiery pen and bold actions inspired countless patriots to fight for India’s independence. Today we rediscover his ideas which hold a deep relevance for Modern Bharat as the nation continues its renewed march towards greatness.
A Nation Above Politics
Savarkar forcefully advocated for politics as only a means and never the end of a democratic setup. His ideas spoke of a unified and greater national identity, one based on the ancient civilizational idea of Bharat, the spiritual and cultural Hindu spirit that should outline all political endeavours. It is this idea and spirit that should transcend all differences and debates between people and between parties as they move in unison towards a singular goal.1
Today, as politics becomes more and more competitive, as leaders often place partisan interests over the national good and when people become further divided on political and ideological identities, Savarkar presents a much needed ideal.
A Pragmatic Foreign Policy
Savarkar argued for a pragmatic foreign policy. He outlined that foreign policy should be balanced and serve national interests above everything. No nation is a permanent friend or foe. He advocated that India should not make any move in the geopolitical sphere that is not linked to its interest, under the pressure of any other nation.
Today, as the multilateral order stands fractured and as the United States under the Trump regime is indicating that self interests are perhaps the only interests in foreign relations, Savarkar’s ideas serve as a reality check for India and remind of the need for a dynamic foreign policy as per interests of the time.
A Strong Defence and Research Base
“Why are America, Russia, and Britain called the ‘big nations’, while India is not? Is it because they are superior in terms of spirituality, population, territory, or intellect? No. It is because they are superior in military power. They possess the most formidable weapons—atomic, aerial, and biological. That is why they are called great, while others are deemed lesser. What they declare becomes the global direction.”2– V.D Savarkar
Savarkar thus reminded us of the need for a strong defence base before a strong Bharat can be built. He fervently declared that India should carry spiritual wisdom in one hand and strength in the other. And to achieve this vision, he laid down the need for research and development in weaponry and warfare. Only then, he declared3 that India can add weight to its words of ‘neutrality’ or ‘global peace’.
A United Civilizational Nation
Savarkar drew an important distinction between the nation and the state. He saw a glorious civilization (one he wrote in detail about, in his text, ‘The six glorious epochs of Indian history’), as the bedrock for the modern state and development. Modern boundaries are not what define the Indian nation but go beyond it. What has changed is in a fraction of time as compared to the long history of the state.
These ideas are not only to be realised by the nation but also by its citizens. India needs to establish a credible deterrence while also voicing and defending its sovereign rights over PoK, Aksai Chin and similar territories.
India’s Place in the World
While espousing these ideas, Savarkar saw India’s place in the world as a strong Military Power, a Strong Innovator, An Economic Powerhouse and as an equally strong Spiritual Power. And to accomplish this, he called upon the youth and every Bharatiya, invoking their collective strength and endeavour.
The words of Savarkar4, that “Every true Bharatiya must take a firm pledge to strive with all their might for the prestige and supremacy of our independent Indian Republic”, continues to guide our mission at the India House.
References:
- Hindu Rashtra Darshan, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
- Sangta Parva by Balaro Savarkar, pp. 139.
- Savarkar Samagra, Volume 8, Page 739
- Sangta Parva by Balaro Savarkar, pp. 139.
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