Book Review: ‘Many Shades of Saffron’ by Chandrachur Ghose

Book Title: Many Shades of Saffron: Decoding 100 Years of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
Author: Chandrachur Ghose
Publisher: Rupa Publications India
Number of Pages: 424
ISBN: 978-9370033795
Date Published: Oct. 24, 2025
Price: INR 620

Book Review

“Many Shades of Saffron” by eminent author Chandrachur Ghose offers a clear and steady look at the hundred-year journey of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Instead of taking sides, the book tries to explain how the organisation began, how it grew, and how it responded to major events in India’s political and social history. By exploring the ideas, leaders, and changes within the RSS over a century, the author gives readers a fuller picture of a group that is often discussed but rarely understood in a balanced way.

One of the strongest parts of the book is the author’s research. He digs deep into documents, speeches, archives, and first-hand accounts to separate fact from opinion. The writing stays fair and calm, avoiding both praise and blame. This approach makes the book refreshing in a space often filled with extreme viewpoints. Readers get to see how the RSS evolved from a small cultural group to an organisation that now plays a major role in India’s public life, and how it dealt with challenges, criticism, and changing political realities.

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Overall, the book is valuable for anyone who wants a clearer, more complete understanding of the RSS without the noise of ideology. It does not try to convince the reader to support or oppose the organisation; instead, it provides information that allows people to form their own views. For students of history, politics, and modern India—or for anyone curious about a movement that continues to shape national debate—“Many Shades of Saffron” is thoughtful, informative, and worth reading.

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