New Delhi: From a single-storey building in 1962 in Delhi’s Jhandewalan, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) now has a swanky new office in the same area, boasting state-of-the-art amenities, auditoriums, polyclinic, and much more.
The new Keshav Kunj building has been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 150 crore, a senior RSS functionary said, pointing out that more than 75,000 people contributed towards the funds.
“We had the first office in Delhi in 1939. Later, a single-storey building came into being in 1962 (the old Keshav Kunj) and then in the 80s, another floor was added. Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat ji laid the foundation stone of this building (the new Keshav Kunj) in 2016, and the organisation in Delhi then shifted to the Udasin Ashram on rent from 2018 to 2024,” explained the functionary.
A sculpture of the first RSS chief, Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, stands on the premises of the building, which has three towers, named Sadhana (Tower 1), Prerna (Tower 2), and Archana (Tower 3). The building also has several halls and auditoriums, with one hall named after the late Ashok Singhal, the former Vishwa Hindu Parishad president.
The new building houses the Sarsanghchalak’s residence and office. It also has the offices of RSS mouthpieces Panchajanya and Organiser. The RSS Delhi unit will function from the address, as well.
A senior RSS functionary said new technology and traditional artwork went into the building of Keshav Kunj.
“The architect of this building is Gujarat-based Anup Dave. Tower 1 largely has offices, and Tower 2 has residential spaces. All three towers have a ground floor and 12 other floors. There are 300 rooms in total—including residential and official spaces,” said another RSS functionary.
The building stands on a four-acre land. The building area is five lakh square feet, including the basement. Now, there is parking space for 135 vehicles, and the area will be increased to house up to 200 cars, an RSS functionary added.
“The building uses solar electricity and has a sewage treatment plant for recycling waste,” the RSS functionary said.
A newly built library, which will continue to be called ‘Keshav Pustakalaya‘ after the library in the old RSS building, will be available for the general public. “The library so far has 8,500 listings,” the functionary added.
The building also has a dispensary, whose facilities people living nearby, including those in slum clusters, could use. A five-bed polyclinic facility has also been made available.
RSS ‘shakhas‘ will also operate on the Keshav Kunj premises. According to sources in the RSS, the shift to the new building started last year before Dussehra and happened in phases.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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