When Spiritualism Meets Nationalism...

He was still in school when he joined RSS and was immensely inspired by Swami Vivekananda. "Every problem has a solution, every obstacle is an opportunity" he used to say, and with that, he became popular to be known as Eknathji: an ardent activist and spiritual leader.

One life, one mission; Source: Vishwa Samvada Kendra

Eknath Ramakrishna Ranade was born on 19 November 1914 in the Amravati district of Maharashtra. His family moved to Nagpur later where he completed his primary schooling at the Pradanavispura School and his secondary studies at the New English High School. Eknathji completed his master's degree in philosophy with honors and later went ahead to pursue LLB from Jabalpur.

Studies apart, Ranade was heavily inspired by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and is known for his strong activism and volunteering there. Influenced while he was young and in school, by the founder of RSS itself—K.B. Hedgewar, Ranade had become a Swayamsevak (volunteer) by the beginning of 1926. His inclination towards RSS made him work hard and rise through the ranks. Years passed and his will to work as a fellow RSS member had now made him Pranth Pracharak (Provincial organizer) while he shifted to Madhya Pradesh.

After 1948 and the assassination of Gandhi, RSS had been banned nationwide. This is when Ranade took matters into his hands and started working underground. News spread and he was soon known as the Underground Sarsanghchalak.

M. S. Golwalkar had begun the Satyagraha movement under RSS's name to lift the ban but he was arrested in a while. Ranade thus took the lead and led the movement. He was successful in even making secret negotiations with then Home Minister Sardar Patel. Overcoming various halts and hurdles, he had accomplished his motive of freeing RSS from its ban with newly reformed rules by the year 1949.

Having helped RSS to such extents, Ranade kept working and earning positions for himself. He was soon a Kshetra Pracharak for Poorvanchal Kshetra comprising Bengal, Orissa, and Assam. He also established a committee to help refugees from Pakistan post India's partition. Soon Ranade was made Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh and his work got noticed by many upper section heads.

1956-1962 saw Ranade become the general secretary of RSS and by the end of his term, he was promoted as the All India Baudhik Pramukh of RSS.

Ranade has known to become better and progress with his work and thus had qualified to become what he was. For him, everything that he had achieved was because of the inspiration he got from Swami Vivekananda. Deeply influenced by Vivekananda's teachings, Ranade sought to give him a personal tribute. Thus began his road towards creating the Vivekananda Kendra.

Eknathji came up with the idea of establishing a a monument to Vivekananda at the mid-sea rock location near Kanyakumari, where the latter had meditated for three days in December. After talking to various leaders and authorities and finally getting approval from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, funds were raised along with the government contributing.

At the age of 50, Ranade made his dream come true by building a grand Vivekananda Memorial at the southernmost tip of India. It was inaugurated on September 2, 1970.

He also started the Vivekananda Kendra as a Hindu spiritual organization based on Swami Vivekananda's teachings. The organization didn't promote him or Vivekananda himself but the use of Omkara as its guiding principle. With around 206 branches of the same, Eknathji had become the president of this spiritual organization.

Ranade died on 22nd August 1982 after serving a president and promoting spirituality for four years. His life has inspired many and is still honored by everyone at the memorial. A documentary called "One Life, One Mission" was made on him by Vivekananda Kendra to pay respects to him.