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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Bhujbal’s chopper lands in Pune parking lot

Mumbai : In what is suspected to be a breach of aviation protocols, a chartered helicopter ferrying Food & Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal from Mumbai to Pune skipped a designated helipad and landed in a vehicle parking lot almost a km away.   The shocker happened in Purandar taluka, where Bhujbal was slated to attend a function marking the 200 th  birth anniversary of the social reformer Mahatma Jyotirao Phule in his home village Khanwadi.   As crowds of bewildered people watched...

Bhujbal’s chopper lands in Pune parking lot

Mumbai : In what is suspected to be a breach of aviation protocols, a chartered helicopter ferrying Food & Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal from Mumbai to Pune skipped a designated helipad and landed in a vehicle parking lot almost a km away.   The shocker happened in Purandar taluka, where Bhujbal was slated to attend a function marking the 200 th  birth anniversary of the social reformer Mahatma Jyotirao Phule in his home village Khanwadi.   As crowds of bewildered people watched from around the sprawling parking lot, the helicopter appeared to drop speed in its flight, flew over some overhead high-tension electric cables, and descended gingerly into the parking lot - raising a thick dust-storm in which it disappeared for seconds - before touching the ground.   Moments later, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) senior leader Bhujbal and others stepped out of the chopper, looked around in the unfamiliar territory before several vehicles and police teams rushed there. Minutes before there was chaos and confusion with some locals shouting warnings at the ‘wrong landing’.   Eyewitnesses said that the chopper’s powerful rotors created a thick dust storm and sparked alarm among the people in the vicinity, and many scrambled to the spot to check what exactly was going on in the parking lot.   Later, the Pune Police said that a designated helipad was available for the chopper landing but were at a loss to explain how the pilot missed it and veered off quite a distance away in the vehicle parking space. Subsequently, they asked the pilot to fly it to the correct landing spot.   Shaken and angry local NCP leaders questioned how a pilot flying a VIP on an official trip could mistake a parking lot for a helipad when the weather and visibility was clear. They demanded to know whether the helipad was improperly marked or it was a question of communication or sheer negligence.   The Pune Police indicated that they would report the matter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) which may take action against the errant pilot and the helicopter company.   “There was no accident. We all emerged safely. The helicopter pilot landed wrongly in a parking lot because the helipad was not visible. All of us are fine and there is nothing to worry,” said Bhujbal, before he was whisked off by his security team.   “There are many faults in numerous airplanes and helicopters, including maintenance issues and other problems. That's why I keep saying consistently that VIPs must exercise caution while flying. Fortunately, an accident was averted today, but that doesn't mean the authorities should be negligent. We expect the government to take urgent precautions.” Rohit R. Pawar, MLA, NCP (SP)

A Century of Service and Nation-Building

As the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) marks a hundred years since its founding in 1925, it stands as one of the most influential social organizations in modern India. Over the past century, the RSS has played a pivotal role in shaping India’s social fabric, promoting unity, fostering selfless service, and building institutions that continue to impact millions of lives.


Foundational vision

The RSS was founded in Nagpur in 1925 by Dr. Keshav BaliramHedgewar with the aim of revitalizing India’s cultural identity and strengthening society from within. At a time when the nation was struggling under colonial rule, Hedgewar envisioned a disciplined, united, and culturally rooted society that could shoulder the responsibility of nation-building.


The daily shakhas (discipline and training gatherings) became the cornerstone of RSS activity, instilling values of physical fitness, teamwork, character building, and devotion to the nation among ordinary citizens.


Social Service

One of the greatest contributions of the RSS has been its unparalleled commitment to relief and rehabilitation during natural calamities and crises. Be it the Bengal famine of 1943, the 1971 cyclone in Odisha, the Gujarat earthquake in 2001, the 2004 tsunami, or the recent COVID-19 pandemic, RSS swayamsevaks were among the first on the ground, providing food, medical care, rescue operations, and rehabilitation efforts.


The COVID-19 crisis particularly highlighted the Sangh’s organizational discipline. Lakhs of swayamsevaks across India delivered oxygen cylinders, cooked meals, arranged transport for migrants, and set up blood and plasma donation camps, reflecting the Sangh’s ethos of selfless service (seva).


Nation building

RSS has nurtured and inspired a wide ecosystem of social, educational, and service-oriented organizations under its umbrella, collectively known as the Sangh Parivar. Some of its most impactful initiatives include:

  • Vidya Bharati Schools – Among the largest educational networks in India, imparting value-based and affordable education in thousands of schools.

  • Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram – Working for the welfare of tribal communities by promoting education, healthcare, and empowerment.

  • Seva Bharati – Running thousands of service projects including hospitals, orphanages, skill centers, and programs for marginalized communities.

  • Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) – One of India’s largest student organizations, shaping young leadership in universities.

  • Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) – A trade union that advocates for workers’ rights while balancing national interest with economic growth.


These organizations demonstrate the RSS philosophy of empowering society not through political power alone, but through grassroots institutions that touch every aspect of life.


Cultural renaissance

The RSS has consistently emphasized India’s civilizational ethos – the philosophy of VasudhaivaKutumbakam (“the world is one family”). Through daily shakhas, cultural programs, and festivals, it has promoted pride in India’s heritage, traditions, and languages.


Importantly, the RSS has sought to unify a diverse and pluralistic India by building a shared cultural consciousness. In regions where caste divisions and social inequalities have historically weakened communities, swayamsevaks have worked to dismantle barriers, promote harmony, and foster collective responsibility.


While the RSS itself is a cultural and social organization, it has inspired many leaders who went on to play key roles in India’s democratic and political landscape. Its ideological commitment to nationalism, integrity, and discipline influenced the formation of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in the 1950s and later the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which today forms the largest political party in the world.


Many leaders, including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, and current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have roots in RSS shakhas. The Sangh’s training has equipped countless public figures with organizational skills and a deep sense of commitment to national service.


Global outreach

Over the last century, the RSS has also inspired organizations abroad. The Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), active in over 40 countries, brings together the Indian diaspora to preserve cultural identity while contributing to their adopted homelands. From community service projects in the US and UK to cultural awareness programs in Africa and Asia, the HSS reflects the Sangh’s global outlook.


The Sangh family also nurtured Rashtra Sevika Samiti (founded in 1936), the largest voluntary women’s organization in the world. It empowers women through leadership training, education, and community service, and has produced several influential leaders in various sectors.


The true strength of the RSS lies not in power or numbers alone, but in its century-old philosophy of disciplined, silent, and sustained service. Today, with millions of active and dedicated swayamsevaks, it represents one of the most organized civil society movements in the world.


As it celebrates its centenary, the RSS continues to stand as a living example of how cultural rootedness, community service, and organizational discipline can transform a nation. Its motto, “Seva hi Param Dharma” (Service is the Highest Duty), remains the guiding principle of its journey from 1925 to 2025 – a hundred years of unbroken commitment to society and the nation.


(The writer is a BJP official based in Thane. Views personal.)

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