Manmohan G. Vaidya

Manmohan G. Vaidya (born c. 1955) is an Indian academic, writer, journalist and one of the senior functionaries of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).^[1][2][3] He completed his PhD in radiochemistry from Nagpur University, he began his career as a lecturer. Later he quit his academic job and became a full‑time pracharak (volunteer) of RSS in 1983. Over several decades he held various organisational responsibilities within the RSS, including its national communications-in-charge ( Akhil Bharatheeya Prachar Parmukh). In March 2018, he was elevated by the RSS as its Sah-Sarkaryavah (Joint General Secretary).^[4] He often writes about issues of civilisation, Hindutva, society, and national culture.^[5][6][7]

Vaidya was born in Nagpur in 1955 to noted RSS ideologue Madhav Govind Vaidya (M.G. Vaidya).^[8] He completed his doctoral degree in radiochemistry/nuclear chemistry from Nagpur University. He later served as an academic faculty in a college before dedicating himself as a full-time volunteer of the RSS.

During his early years, he joined Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the RSS, and served in various capacities. He played role in expanding ABVP's activities in university and college campuses across India.^[9]

Vaidya became as a full-time volunteer (pracharak) of the RSS in the year 1983. He later appointed as its Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh (national communications-in-charge). On 11 March 2018, RSS appointed him as one of its Sah-Sarkaryavah (Joint General Secretaries).^[4] His appointment this position brought the total number of Sah-Sarkaryavah to six, an all-time high.^[4]

Vaidya is known for his multilingual writings in English, Hindi, Marathi, and Gujarati on various issues of Indian civilisation, Hindutva, culture, and society. In March 2021, he was quoted by media saying that there was a "growing curiosity" about RSS following the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Ayodhya Temple campaign.^[10] In July 2019, he was reported to be stated that RSS volunteers were actively engaged in village-level development, organic farming, and Go Raksha (cow-protection) initiatives, and the organisation is expanding its public outreach.^[11] A compilation of his various news paper articles were published as a book titled 'We and the World Around' in October 2023.^[12] In November 2021 Hindi translation of the book named 'Hum Aur Yeh Vishwa' was released by former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.^[13]

Over a four-decade of his career in the RSS, Vaidya became known for his academic credentials, organisational leadership, media management, and public commentaries. His elevation as one of the joint general secretary of the RSS in 2018 was covered by multiple mainstream medias, indicating the recognition beyond internal organisational announcements.^{[14][15] [16]}Vaidya is regarded as of the prominent idealogue of the RSS, particularly due to his efforts in advancing RSS's ideological reach through mass media and public communication.^[17][18]