Senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Pracharak Ranga Hariji passed away in Kochi Sunday morning. He was 93. He died of old age ailments at a private hospital in Ernakulam.
Ranga Hariji alias R. Hariji aka Hariji was one of the senior pracharaks of RSS and was among the highly respected thinker. RSS' Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat has expressed their grief over the demise of Hariji.
"The demise of our Shri Ranga Hari ji had robbed us of a profound thinker, practical worker and ideal of behaviour and most of all a loving and encouraging elder. Ranga Hari ji had lived his life fully and meaningfully. Many workers who came into his acquaintance when he was Akhil Bharatiya Baudhik Pramukh of RSS will be mourning his loss today all over the Bharat," RSS Sarsanghachalak said.
"Even on his sick days, In his last days he was fully aware of his failing strength but he did not seize his activities of reading, writing and pleasantly counselling Swayamsevaks who came to see him. On 11th October, only his commentary on Prithvi Sukt was published in Delhi. Even after his speech failed him, he used to hear the visitors and respond by his facial expressions. I personally and on behalf of RSS offer my respect-full condolences to his inspiring memory and pray for enlightenment and peace on the part of the departed soul," he added.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also condoled the demise of Ranga Hari. He said that the RSS leader devoted his entire life to the service of humanity, nation-building, and ideology.
Taking to social media platform, X, Shah said, "Deeply saddened by the passing of the former Akhil Bharatiya Boudhik Pramukh of the RSS, Ranga Hari Ji. Late Hari Ji devoted his entire life to the service of humanity, nation-building, and ideology. He motivated several young swayamsevaks to contribute towards the motherland. His demise is an irreparable loss to the organization. I pray to the Almighty for his eternal peace. Om Shanti Shanti!"
Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party chief JP Nadda also expressed his anguish over the demise. "Deeply pained by the passing away of senior RSS Pracharak Shri Ranga Hari Ji. He was a multi-faceted personality who played an instrumental role in the struggle against Emergency. He made immense contributions to literature, especially compiling the works of Shri Guruji. His life will be an inspiration to the coming generations. My heartfelt condolences to his family members and well-wishers in this hour of grief. Om Shanti," Nadda posted on X.
Born on December 5, 1930 (Rohini, Vruschikam), he started following RSS as his father was a RSS supporter. Ranga Hari Ji was jailed for months when RSS was banned following Gandhi's assassination in 1948. In 1951, Hari became a full-time RSS worker. Till 1989, he became Pranth Pracharak in Kerala.
In 1990, he became Akhila Bharatiya Saha Boudhik Pramukh and in 1991 Boudhik Pramukh. He had served as Boudhik Pramukh 1990 to 2005. He quit all his official duties at 75. He continued in some special duties for another two years.
Hari Ji, who knows 10 languages namely Malayalam, Konkani, Tamil, Hindi, Sanskrit, English, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali and Assamese, has published about sixty books in various languages.
