Lakshman Rao Madhav Rao Inamdar, (19 September 1917 – 1985) popularly known as Vakil Saheb,is the founder of
Sahkar Bharti.He was one of the founding fathers of the
RSS
RSS ( RDF Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication) is a web feed that allows users and applications to access updates to websites in a standardized, computer-readable format. Subscribing to RSS feeds can allow a user to keep track of many di ...
in
Gujarat
Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the nin ...
. He is credited with inducting Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi
Narendra Damodardas Modi (; born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician serving as the List of Prime Ministers of India, 14th and current Prime Minister of India since 2014. Modi was the List of chief ministers of Gujarat, Chief Minist ...
as an RSS balswayamsevak (junior cadet) and becoming Modi's political mentor.
Inamdar and Narendra Modi
Inamdar is credited with shaping Narendra Modi's career in the RSS. When Modi became an RSS Pracharak, Inamdar was the
Prant Pracharak
A prant is a historical district in India, and a native British Raj age term for a colonial district. The same name can thus have different meanings depending on the period.
Pre-colonial
Some prants are traditional names for parts of historical ...
of Gujarat. Modi and Inamdar are believed to have shared a special bond.
According to Narendra Modi, Inamdar was the only person he has ever confided in on personal matters. Inamdar is also credited with persuading Modi to join a BA program in political science for which Inamdar procured the necessary study material. Commenting on Modi's respect for Inamdar, Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay — author of a 2013 biography of Modi — says, "I haven't seen this kind of reverence in Modi for anyone, living or dead."
Narendra Modi has co-written a 2001 published book, ''Setubandh'', which is a biography of Inamdar. Modi's 2008 book ''
Jyotipunj'', on sixteen prominent RSS figures, also has a chapter on Inamdar. In Jyotipunj, Modi credited Inamdar with opening 150 RSS
shakhas
A shakha (Sanskrit ', "branch" or "limb") is a Hindu theological school that specializes in learning certain Vedic texts, or else the traditional texts followed by such a school.V. S. Apte. A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary, p. 913, left column.Mon ...
in 3–4 years—following the lifting of a 4-year ban on the RSS in 1952.
Inamdar is also reportedly responsible for shaping Modi's views of relations between
Hindus and
Muslims.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Inamdar, Lakshmanrao
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh pracharaks
Narendra Modi
People from Gujarat
1917 births
1985 deaths