President pays tribute to Swami Shraddhanand on 100th anniversary of his martyrdom

President Droupadi Murmu paid tribute to Swami Shraddhanand on Sunday, the 100th anniversary of his martyrdom, calling his life a source of inspiration for the whole country.

She spoke at the Balidan Shatabdi Samaroh, a centenary event held at Gurukul in Kurukshetra, Haryana, on 1 November. Murmu said his journey from Munshiram to Mahatma Munshiram and finally to Swami Shraddhanand was "deeply inspiring".

What the President said

According to the President's Secretariat, Murmu said Swami Shraddhanand dedicated his life to the service of the Vedas and the upliftment of society. She recalled that in an address from the platform of the Jama Masjid in Delhi he conveyed a message of mutual goodwill and national unity.

She said he believed that ending the stigma of untouchability and uplifting Dalits were essential for India's progress, and held that untouchability was contrary to the core principles of the Vedic tradition.

Murmu also credited him with reviving and strengthening the Gurukul system of education, a cause championed by Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati, founder of the Arya Samaj.

The message for today

The President said the centenary year is a chance to draw lessons from his educational and social philosophy and his dedication to the nation. As India moves towards the goal of a Viksit Bharat by 2047, she said, citizens should take pride in the country's cultural heritage while embracing science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.

She expressed confidence that young people, inspired by his life, will help build an educated, self-reliant, harmonious and empowered India.

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Source: official release by the President's Secretariat, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (01 NOV 2026 6:10PM by PIB Delhi). Read the full official text: PRESIDENT OF INDIA GRACES THE BALIDAN SHATABDI SAMAROH OF SWAMI SHRADDHANAND JI AT KURUKSHETRA.