Ashokji Singhal

The work of Ashok Singhal for the furtherance of Hinduism is well known. What is less known is his own knowledge of the Vedas and his work towards propagation of the Vedas and of Vedic education.

While working as a Pracharak for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Kanpur, Ashokji was inspired to study the Vedas by his Gurudev, whose knowledge of the Vedas and Shastras was second to none.

Caught between his duties for the RSS and the call of the Vedas, he sought guidance from the then Sarsanghchalak, Guruji MS Golwalkarji on how to resolve this dilemma. When Guruji Golwalkar permitted him to follow his quest for Vedic knowledge, his Gurudev advised him that his quest for knowledge and the noble work of the RSS could be done together. This started his long journey in the service of Hinduism including the setting up of The Vishva Hindu Parishad within the RSS fold.

Ashokji firmly believed that only through the protection and propagation of the Vedas could Indian culture survive. Through his work Ashokji organised three Vishva Ved Sammelans the first one being in 1992. These sammelans, unique gatherings of the world’s top Vedic scholars, served to bring together hundreds of Vedic scholars and bring forth the contribution that the Vedas make to Hindu life and culture. Under his leadership, a number of Veda schools were started by the VHP and these schools are still in operation. A part of Ashokji’s ancestral home in Prayag was given up for one such school.