Modi's mentors: Kashinath Bagwade, the personal discipline guru

Editor’s note: Narendra Modi has revealed his inspirations in a work he wrote after he became chief minister in 2001. The book, written in Gujarati, is called Jyotipunj_. In this chapter from his book of short biographies, being translated for the first time, Narendra Modi profiles the man who offered him lessons in personal discipline, disaster management and administration._ The most ordinary man will have something extraordinary about him. Circumstance and opportunity sometimes have a part in this, and sometimes an individual takes hammer and chisel to himself and sculpts his character. India’s youth were seething with nationalist sentiment before independence. Those generations had the opportunity to do something for their country, and they did. In those times, in Maharashtra’s Satara district is a little village called Wai. Here in an ordinary family was born Kashinath Bagwade. His heart burned with desire to do something for his nation, and he turned to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. With his brothers, he came to Nadiad’s New Shorrock mill for a job. Here, he joined the Kheda agitation for independence. The seed the RSS had planted in him flowered in Gujarat. Kashinathji was a matriculate, but he was not limited by that. He was also untouched by things as his dislocation from a little village to a town like Nadiad, and by any thoughts of what he should do for himself. His family had expectations of his helping them out on the economic front, but his attention was elsewhere. [caption id=“attachment_1319431” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Narendra Modi (far left) with Eknath Ranade, Kanti Vyas and Kashinath Bagwade. Image from book.[/caption] In 1945, he quit his job, and his home and decided to unite Hindu society against slavery. Kashinathji became a Pracharak. He began his work in Kheda and learnt Gujarati in a short time. His qualities, his simplicity and his hard work compensated for his lack of a degree. Very soon, he had control over the task at hand in Kheda as Pracharak. For many years Gujarat, particularly Kutch, was considered to be a ‘punishment posting’. But Kashinathji’s success in Kheda ensured he was given charge of Kutch. Before independence, sometimes one had to reach Kutch by sea, but this was no problem for him. He soon understood the intricacies, special characteristics and granularities of Kutch. Till today, the first generation of Kutch’s Swayamsevaks don’t tire of talking about Kashinathji’s walking and cycling tours, and his ability to keep working without food. Today’s generations will find such things fantastic, but they are true. The development of the RSS in Gujarat happened through two incidents. In both of them, Kashinathji was involved. In the RSS, we are often taught that it’s one hour for the Shakha and 23 hours for the nation and society. Something now happened for this to be demonstrated to society. In 1956, an earthquake hit Kutch’s Anjar area. Pandit Nehru himself rushed to help. In that period, through Kashnathji’s efforts, the Sangh had only just begun to become effective there organisationally. It wasn’t capacious enough to manage the disaster. But the desire outstripped the capacity. Kashinathji began to work for the rehabilitation of those affected. There was a vast gap to be bridged between those who needed assistance and those who could give it. For a large part of the Congress, this was a photo opportunity more than anything else. Kashinathji scrambled the Swayamsevaks into action. Armed with three or four days’ food, some bedding and clothing and essentials, they reached Kutch. Without taking anything from society and without straining the affected area’s resources, they helped those in need. Soon, even the government had to rely on Kashinathji and his team for real information of the situation. Those politicians who came to be photographed, at first would scowl at the sight of khaki-shorts-wearing Swayamsevaks. But they also were dependent on them. In particular, those who were displaced from Sindh at Partition and ran into this second disaster were helped by the RSS. After the war against China, Kashinathji was put in charge of Mehsana, near Ahmedabad. Under his supervision, the RSS developed there rapidly. Even today, in all of Gujarat, the RSS is most prominent in Mehsana and this is because of Kashinathji’s efforts. He was a slight figure physically, but never tired of taking his cycle and setting off on roads, whether paved or not. He was an incredible administrator, and this showed in the way he lived. Everything - information, prioritisation of tasks, arrangements - was always at hand with him. He was seriously disciplined. He was up and ready by 4 or 4:30 am. He sat with 50 postcards and began his day. Before dawn, he would try to deliver these to the villages, each with different instructions for different Karyakartas. His writing was clear and precise, always, despite being so prolific. His manner of using words did not alter. This way, over 30 years, of writing lakhs of postcards would be in the running for a record today! The second incident I write of happened after the formation the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in 1964. The religious outlook of Gujaratis ensured that the VHP made rapid inroads here. The first national gathering of the VHP happened in Siddhpur. Guruji Golwalkar, the Shankaracharya and other saints and mahants assembled in Gujarat for the first time. Thousand of these saints and lakhs of citizens participated at this incredible event. In 1971-72, Kashinathji was managing the gathering. It was no ordinary task - each saint is an institution. Each with different traditions, rules and regulations governing his life. To manage this, and to do it with respect and efficiently and on time, is not easy. On the other hand were lakhs of devotees, whose needs also had to be cared for. All of this Kashinathji did brilliantly, establishing new benchmarks. More than four decades Kashinathji spent thus - with great discipline and hardship on RSS work and without care for his personal life. This resulted in a painful end. His health deteriorated, but he did not liked being asked about it. As his end came, he was pained not by his body so much as the thought that he could not do much for his nation any longer.