New Delhi: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghchalak (chief) Mohan Bhagwat on Friday remembered Rani Ahilyabai Holkar on her 300th birth anniversary, saying she was an ideal ruler who provided good governance and worked for the welfare of every section of the society.
In a statement issued through video, Bhagwat said that despite being a queen, she lived a simple life and cared for the weak and the backward. He said, “This year is the trishatabdi (three hundredth year) of Punyashlok Devi Ahilyabai Holkar.”
He said the title of ‘Punyashloka’ is given to those rulers who free their subjects from all kinds of deprivation and misery. “She was a widow. Despite being a single woman, she not only managed her large empire but also made it even bigger and provided good governance,” the RSS chief said. In fact, she was one of the ideal rulers of her time, he said. He described her as a symbol of the capabilities of women.
Referring to Holkar’s emphasis on industries to provide employment to his subjects, Bhagwat said, “He built them (industries) so well that the Maheshwar textile industry is still running today. It provides employment to many people.”
At its All India Representative Assembly held in Nagpur in March, the RSS had announced that it would hold events to commemorate Holkar’s 300th birth anniversary. “Efforts will be made everywhere to remember her throughout this year. It is a matter of great joy. I wish all the best for such an effort,” Bhagwat said.
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