Cultural Nationalism and Matri-Shakti: A Study of the Ideological and Social Role of the Rashtra Sevika Samiti

Authors

  • Prof. (Dr.) Digar Singh Farswan DIRECTOR AND PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF EDUCATION , UTTARAKHAND OPEN UNIVERSITY-HALDWANI, 263139 , Uttarakhand Open University image/svg+xml Author
  • Gaurav Upadhyay Research Scholar, Department of Political Science, M.B.Govt.P.G. College,Haldwani, Kumaun University Nainital,Uttarakhand-263139 , Uttarakhand Open University image/svg+xml , ASSISTANT PROFESSOR , DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION , SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE, UTTARAKHAND OPEN UNIVERSITY-HALDWANI-263139 , Kumaun University image/svg+xml Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62656/

Keywords:

Rashtra Sevika Samiti, Cultural Nationalism, Matri-Shakti, Women’s Empowerment, Nation-Building

Abstract

The present research paper undertakes a study of the ideological, organizational, and social role of the Rashtra Sevika Samiti in the light of the Indian Knowledge Tradition, cultural nationalism, and the concept of Matri-Shakti. In Indian culture, women have not merely been regarded as social units; rather, they have been accorded a foundational position as the embodiment of ‘Shakti’, ‘Samskara’, and national consciousness. Established on the basis of this cultural perspective, the Rashtra Sevika Samiti has sought to organize women as an active force and agency for nation-building, social harmony, and cultural preservation. The paper argues that the Rashtra Sevika Samiti presents a distinctive model of women’s empowerment rooted in the Indian perspective, wherein greater emphasis is placed on duty than on rights, on coordination and harmony than on conflict, and on the spirit of Lokmangal, or the welfare of society, than on individualism.

Author Biographies

  • Prof. (Dr.) Digar Singh Farswan, DIRECTOR AND PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF EDUCATION , UTTARAKHAND OPEN UNIVERSITY-HALDWANI, 263139, Uttarakhand Open University

    Prof. (Dr.) Digar Singh Farswan is Professor and Director, School of Education, Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani. His research interests include teacher education, educational philosophy, curriculum studies, and educational reforms. He has published over 50 research papers and several books and book chapters in the field of education and has received the Devbhoomi Shiksha Utkrishtata Samman (2023).

  • Gaurav Upadhyay, Research Scholar, Department of Political Science, M.B.Govt.P.G. College,Haldwani, Kumaun University Nainital,Uttarakhand-263139, Uttarakhand Open University, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR , DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION , SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE, UTTARAKHAND OPEN UNIVERSITY-HALDWANI-263139, Kumaun University

    Mr. Gaurav Upadhyay is Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Administration, Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani, and a Ph.D. scholar in Political Science at Kumaun University, Nainital. His research interests include public administration, governance, public policy, democratic governance, and Indian politics. He has published over 20 research papers and 10 book chapters, including in Scopus-indexed journals such as The Round Table (Taylor & Francis). He is also the Editor-in-Chief of IntellectusHub

References

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Published

15.09.2026

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2 (2026): August 2026

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Farswan, D. S., & Upadhyay, G. (2026). Cultural Nationalism and Matri-Shakti: A Study of the Ideological and Social Role of the Rashtra Sevika Samiti. Journal of Native India & Diversity Studies, 3(2), 62-79. https://doi.org/10.62656/