Dattatreya Hosabale elected new RSS general secretary, replaces Bhaiyyaji Joshi

Dattatreya Hosabale has been elected as the next "Sarkaryavah" (general secretary) of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The 65-year-old replaces Suresh ‘Bhaiyyaji’ Joshi who has held the position for a record 12 years since 2009.

The RSS confirmed the development on its Twitter handle. The election took place at RSS's highest decision-making body, Akhila Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, in Bengaluru.

Sarkaryawah post is considered as Sangh's number 2 in command afterSarsanghchalak (Chief of RSS) which is currently held by Mohan Bhagwat.

Before his election as the Sarkaryawah of RSS, Dattatreya Hisabale was Sah-Sarakaryavaah (Joint General Secretary) of the organisation.

Dattatreya Hosabale was born in Sorab in Shimoga of Karnataka. He is a post-graduate in English literature. He had joined RSS in 1968 and then ABVP in 1972. He became a Pracharak in 1978.

During the period of Indian Emergency from 1975 to 1977, he was arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) and imprisoned for 16 months. He also served as the general secretary for the student organization, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad for 15 years.

Dattatreya Hosabale was the Bauddhik Pramukh of RSS from 2003 to 2009 and Sah-Sahkaryavah from 2009.