Public discourse on Vinayak Damodar Savarkar has been largely distilled into a binary: those who support him and those who oppose him. Contemporary discussions on his role in the Indian independence movement and his contributions to modern India remain fragmented and diffuse. This blog does not aim to selectively highlight or downplay aspects of Savarkar’s life, nor does it seek to revive his persona or ideology through an emotionally charged lens.

Instead, ‘The Whirlwind’ addresses a fundamental gap in scholarly engagement. There is an extraordinary lack of rigorous, analytical studies on Savarkar and his concept of Hindutva. The primary objective of this blog is to construct an intellectual profile of Savarkar—analyzing his unique position at the crossroads of various ideological and political traditions. By adopting a holistic approach, we aim to reconstruct his political, social, and economic thought, overcoming polemics and prejudices that have long hindered systematic engagement with his work.

Savarkar: A Puzzling Challenge

V. D. Savarkar (May 28, 1883 – February 26, 1966) was an Indian independence activist, writer, and political thinker who formulated a distinct vision for postcolonial India. Savarkar’s central concern was the creation of an independent Indian state capable of asserting itself in the postcolonial international order. For him, this entailed preserving sovereignty and integrity. Based on his interpretation of history, he concluded that a strong and unified social order was essential for India’s future. Consequently, restructuring social organization became a key aspect of his political philosophy. This philosophy found its most pronounced expression in his articulation of Hindutva – a social and state theory, as well as an identity framework.

Savarkar is often described as a freedom fighter, Hindu nationalist, and patriot. However, he preferred to view himself as the organizer of Hindu society. His life and work present a paradoxical and multifaceted narrative, yet discussions surrounding him have largely remained confined to polemics. Both Indian and foreign scholars have engaged with only fragments of his thought and actions, seldom attempting to understand his theoretical concepts within a coherent framework.

Two Key Characteristics Defining the Discourse on Savarkar & their Implications:

First, it extends beyond academic circles into the political and public domains; and second, it is marked by stark polarization. On one side, critics view Savarkar as a threat to India’s foundational principles—secularism, multiculturalism, and democracy. In their view, he represents an anti-modern regression and is considered the ideological father of what is commonly referred to as Hindu nationalism or Hindu fundamentalism. On the other hand, his supporters regard his vision for the state and society as a legitimate and ambitious form of democratic self-determination.

Given the identified lack of scholarly work on Savarkar and his incoherent statements, the primary goal of this blog is to systematically and comprehensively investigate Savarkar’s political, social, and economic ideas for the first time, while also exploring their causal role in constructing a collective identity. It will demonstrate that Hindutva is a societal concept that does not allow for the exclusion of individual components.

Working Assumptions

The political polarization, confusion, and superficiality in the recurring academic discourses, public debates, and media coverage surrounding Savarkar and the term Hindutva have led to the formulation of the following working assumptions underlying this blog:
(1) There is no universally accepted interpretation of the term Hindutva according to Savarkar’s understanding.
(2) There are significant gaps in knowledge regarding Savarkar’s social and political thought, and a comprehensive and coherent overview of his socio-political ideas has yet to be established.
(3) These two -before mentioned- points can be attributed to the political instrumentalization of the debates and to the inability of the social sciences to recognize the issues raised by Savarkar and Hindutva as a research field, approaching them adequately and methodologically. As a result, this has fostered a prejudiced culture, particularly within Indian social sciences – especially political science – regarding the “politically accepted” themes available for “objective” study. The subsequent shift in focus toward Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi and those associated with him, as well as the mainstream Indian independence movement, can be seen as significant in this regard.

In this context, this blog is based on two core questions and objectives:
The core and structure of Savarkar’s socio-political thought and actions must be examined. The guiding hypothesis is that a comprehensive approach is needed, one that incorporates Savarkar’s entire life and work into the analysis. This means there should be no restriction to a particular phase of his life or a specific type of literature (Historical Studies, Political Statements, Non-(Party)-Political Literature covering his social reform writings, among others). Additionally, his political and social activities, as well as party-political measures, must also be considered in the analysis.

Objectives of this Blog

The prevailing discourse on Savarkar is deeply politicized and polarized, distorting any comprehensive understanding of his thoughts and actions. Despite his prominence in India’s political and social spheres, his work has been largely neglected within rigorous academic inquiry.

‘The Whirlwind’ seeks to address this gap by achieving following tasks:

1. The examination of Savarkar’s life and work in its entirety to create a coherent and comprehensive compilation of his political, social, and economic thought.
2. Bridge gaps in knowledge and address misunderstandings or intentional misinterpretations of his work.
3. To understand Savarkar within the historical context of his time and to evaluate his potential contributions to political and social thought in India and beyond.
4. Assess the contemporary relevance of his ideas, including their applicability to modern Indian, regional (South Asian), and global political trends.

The relevance of Savarkar is evident in contemporary debates. Far from being a “dead issue,” his legacy continues to shape discussions on Hindu nationalism and Indian politics. Public controversies surrounding him – whether in the 2004 debates on his role in India’s independence or recurring election-time polemics – underscore the need for a more nuanced engagement with his work.

Why “The Whirlwind”?

The term “Whirlwind” is often used metaphorically to describe Vinayak Damodar Savarkar’s intense, dynamic, and multifaceted political activities – both revolutionary and reformist – along with his profound influence on Indian nationalism. It encapsulates the rapid, forceful, and transformative nature of his work and ideas across various spheres of social, political, and economic life.

More specifically, “Whirlwind” refers to a publication containing statements, messages, and excerpts from Savarkar’s diary during his tenure as president of the Hindu Mahasabha (HMS) from December 1937 to October 1941—a period that marked the peak of his political activities.