Model-actor Milind Soman, in his memoir "Made In India", speaks about being part of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as a young boy. Soman recalls going to the local 'shakha', or training centre, at the Shivaji Park in Mumbai. He writes that his father "was a great believer in the benefits that would accrue to a young boy, in terms of disciplined living, physical fitness and right thinking, from being part of the junior cadres of the RSS", reports theprint.in.
Soman adds that being part of an RSS shakha was "a very Shivaji Park thing" for a young boy to do back then.
He writes how "baffled" he feels today when he reads of "all the subversive, communal propaganda the media attributes to RSS shakhas". Adding that his memories "of what went on at the shakhas every evening are completely different", Soman recalls how activities included marching in khaki shorts, yoga, games, camping trips, songs and chanting Sanskrit verses "that we did not understand".
All activities, Soman recalls, were supervised by a "team of mostly-well-meaning if not always inspirational adults who truly believed they were helping raise good 'civilian soldiers'."
According to theprint.in, Soman recalls that his father had been part of the RSS himself and was a proud Hindu. "I didn't see what there was to be proud about, but on the other hand, I didn't see that there was much to complain about either," he writes in his memoir.
Milind Soman wrote in his memoir, “When I read today all the subversive, communal propaganda the media attributes to RSS shakhas, I am frankly baffled. My memories of what happened at our shakha between 6 and 7 p.m. each weekday evening are completely different—we marched about in our khaki shorts, did some yoga, worked out in a traditional outdoor gymnasium with no fancy equipment, sang songs and chanted Sanskrit verses that we did not understand the meanings of, played games and had a bunch of fun with our fellows.”
Milind Soman further wrote, “The whole thing was overseen by a team of mostly-well-meaning—if not always inspirational—adults, who truly believed they were helping raise good ‘civilian soldiers’— boys respectful of authority, well-behaved in the presence of adults and well-aware of the importance of physical fitness— who would put their efforts into nation-building when they grew up.” He also said that his dad was a member of the RSS and a ‘proud Hindu’.
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