Bhagwat’s WSJ ad evokes Hindu pride
Washington: Hindu American leaders on Thursday welcomed a full-page paid advertisement in The Wall Street Journal featuring RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, saying its message of unity and respect for diversity made the community proud of its heritage.
The paid advertisement appeared on Page A5 of the newspaper’s September 3 edition. It carried a photograph of Bhagwat and a message from his address at the Universal Oneness Celebration held at Madison Square Garden in New York on August 29.
“Our oneness and diversity has to be celebrated, has to be respected, has to be accepted. India has a civilizational ethos built on Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – the world is one family. India is a living example of this diversity,” Bhagwat was quoted as saying in the advertisement.
The advertisement described Bhagwat as the head of the “World’s Largest Voluntary Organisation,” the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in India.
It said 5,000 delegates representing 250 organisations from 853 cities across 39 US states had attended the Universal Oneness event at the Madison Square Garden in New York. The advertisement was paid for by RSS Friends, according to the disclosure printed on the page.
Prominent community leader and businessman Ramesh Bhutada said the advertisement had become a source of pride for Hindu Americans.
“I am delighted to see full page ad in Wall Street Journal . It represents very spirit of Hinduism it makes all Hindu American feel proud of their heritage,” Bhutada said.
Sudesh Agrawal, director of the AHEAD Forum, said the message reflected the Hindu community’s willingness to work with other communities for the wider good.
“The Hindu community in the Americas has unequivocally conveyed its commitment to engaging in dialogue and collaboration with all other communities for the collective advancement of humanity. It is imperative that we translate this commitment into tangible actions. We will do so with unwavering dedication,” Agrawal said.
“We extend our sincere gratitude for the esteemed platform provided by the Wall Street Journal to disseminate this message to the public,” he added.
The advertisement placed Bhagwat’s remarks within the broader theme of Universal Oneness. Its central message stressed respect for diversity and the Indian civilisational idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, a Sanskrit expression commonly translated as “the world is one family”.
Bhagwat is the Sarsanghchalak, or chief, of the RSS, a Hindu volunteer organisation founded in Nagpur in 1925. The organisation marked its centenary in 2025 and has an extensive network of local branches and affiliated bodies in India.
The August 29 gathering at Madison Square Garden brought together Hindu Americans and representatives of community organisations from across the United States. The programme centred on universal oneness, community cooperation and the role of Indian civilisational values in promoting harmony among diverse societies.