Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad is an all-India student organization, working in the field of education with a wider perspective of National Reconstruction. ABVP works with a faith in the collective existence of the educational community, a firm belief in constructive work and a nationalist approach, which stays above partisan politics.
India's largest student organization, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) with over 3,000 branches spread all over India and with a membership of nearly a million college students, has been channelising student - power into constructive work for half a century now.
The ABVP was started soon after independence with the objective of channelising students’ energies in the task of national reconstruction by a group of students and teachers who drew their inspiration from the RSS, the premier nationalist organisation of the country. Its growth process was slow and sporadic in the first few years but it picked up after Prof. Yeshwantrao Kelkar, a lecturer in Bombay, became its main organiser in 1958. He was its real architect and builder. As a consequence of singe-minded devotion of Prof. Kelkar, who passionately tried to build up this organisation till his death in 1987, the ABVP is what it is today.
The uniqueness of the Parishad lies in the fact that it has emerged as a stable organisation of floating population of students. Perhaps no social organisation has its members changing so quickly and regularly as the ABVP has. Despite this handicap, the ABVP has gained strength day by day. In all probability, the ABVP is the only example of its type throughout the world. Another unique feature of the oraganisation is that though it is a student organisation in every respect, the teachers also take an active part in its functioning. Ever since its inception teachers have been deeply involved in building up the organisation and they comprise the permanent component of the membership.
What distinguishes the ABVP from other organisations is the fact that it is a full-fledged and regular student organisation which has evolved a distinct philosophy and role for a student organisation and which organises multifarious activities to fulfill its objective of national reconstruction. So far as ABVP’s contribution in the national life is concerned it can be said with pride that apart from organising a lot of constructive and meaningful activities and helping to solve the problems related to student and educational field, the Parishad has played an important role in highlighting and solving larger problems of the country. The thoughts and ideals of the ABVP on educational change can prove as valuable assets for any educational ministry or department. Be it the issue of terrorism in Kashmir or of infiltration of foreigners into Assam and border states, or the issue of reservation and Mandal recommendations or the gigantic task of integrating north-eastern citizens with those of the other parts of the country or the problem of unemployment and economic reconstruction of the country or the fight against social inequalities or the calamity of earthquake in Marathwada, the ABVP has never been found wanting both on the plains of thinking and action. The ABVP today has a cadre of socially committed workers who are capable of undertaking any challenging task.
The coming days would witness a more active, meaningful and effective participation by the ABVP in the task of national reconstruction and the country and its citizens would feel proud of such a role of the ABVP.
