From Kapil Dev To US, China Envoys: Who All Are Attending RSS Chief's Lecture Series?

Last Updated:August 26, 2025, 07:30 IST

RSS sources said more than 1,300 guests have confirmed their attendance, making it one of the most high-profile events to be hosted by the organisation in recent years

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's address will not just be a discourse on ideology but also a platform for dialogue with thought leaders, policymakers, cultural figures, and international representatives. (Image: PTI/File)

From former army chief MM Naravane and ex-CJI Ranjan Gogoi to sports icons like Kapil Dev as well as American and Chinese diplomats – this is what the guest list looks like for RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s three-day lecture series that begins from Tuesday.

News18 has learnt that others like Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, artists like Manoj Joshi, Ram V Sutar, and Dagar Bandhu, as well as diplomats from the US, China, Nepal, Australia, South Africa, Kazakhstan, and other countries will also be present.

According to RSS sources, more than 1,300 guests have confirmed their attendance, making it one of the most high-profile events to be hosted by the organisation in recent years.

The sources said the RSS outreach initiative this year has attracted an unusually diverse array of participants. Expected attendees include former army chief General MM Naravane, former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, former chief of army staff Gen JJ Singh, Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, former CJI JS Kehar, veteran diplomat Kawal Sibal among other notable artists and sportspersons.

Adding to the mix are representatives from foreign embassies, including the US, China, Nepal, and Kazakhstan. Diplomats from Pakistan and Bangladesh have not been invited.

The scale of the event is highlighted by the confirmed guest list of around 1,300 attendees for the three-day lecture series. Bhagwat’s address will not just be a discourse on ideology but also a platform for dialogue with thought leaders, policymakers, cultural figures, and international representatives.

Past lectures by him have focused on themes such as national identity, nationalism, social cohesion, and the Sangh’s vision for a ‘New India’. This edition will expand the scope by engaging a broader audience, including both domestic influencers and foreign stakeholders.

By attracting top names from the judiciary, armed forces, diplomacy, culture, and sport, the RSS aims to project its reach beyond politics into civil society at large. The presence of foreign diplomats suggests an international dimension to the engagement.

With major powers like the US and China represented, alongside neighbours such as Nepal and Sri Lanka, the event will be closely watched for the RSS chief’s message and the optics of the Sangh’s widening global interface.

For the RSS, the diverse guest list serves a dual purpose – consolidating domestic legitimacy across professional spheres and positioning itself as an organisation open to dialogue with the world.

Observers have noted that the line-up reflects both the growing visibility of the RSS in India’s public life and the curiosity it continues to generate abroad.

Madhuparna Das

Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has covered Naxa...Read More

Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has covered Naxa...

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August 26, 2025, 07:30 IST

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