Dattatreya Hosabale (known as Datta ji in RSS) has become the new Sarkaryavah (general secretary) of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS). He has replaced Bhaiyyaji Joshi.
65-year old Hosabale was elected at RSS’ Akhil Bharatiya Prathinidhi Sabha - the highest decision making body of RSS held in Bengaluru on March 20. He was Sah-Sarakaryavah (joint general secretary) of RSS since 2009. He will be Sarkaryavah of RSS for the term of three years. The election to the post of Sarkaryavah takes place once in three years.
Born in a small village Hosabale of Soraba Taluk in Shivamogga district of Karnataka, he comes from a family of RSS activists. Joined RSS in 1968 and then the student organization ABVP in 1972 and became a full-time worker of ABVP in 1978. He was the National Organising Secretary of ABVP for 15 years with his headquarters being Mumbai. Later, he became Sah-Baudhik Pramukh (second in command of the intellectual wing of RSS) in 2004. He is fluent in Kannada, Hindi, English, Tamil and Sanskrit.
Hosabale was imprisoned for more than a year under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the fight to restore democracy against the emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi.
As an organisation man, he has played an active role in setting up the Youth Development Centre in Guwahati, Assam, World Organization of Student and Youth (WOSY).