Mohan Bhagwat tells US diaspora to honour America, uphold Bharat's values

Newyork,UPDATED: Aug 30, 2026 07:58 IST

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Saturday said unity in diversity is in Bharat's DNA and must be "celebrated, respected and accepted", as he addressed a gathering of more than 6,000 Indian-Americans and interfaith leaders in New York.

Speaking at the 'Universal Oneness Celebration' organised by the American Hindus For Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) forum at the Infosys Theatre in Madison Square Garden, Bhagwat also urged the Indian diaspora in the US to remain loyal to their "karmabhoomi" and said people must give back to their communities and the wider world.

Referring to ideas associated with the US and Bharat, Bhagwat said, "When we say America, United States of America, one word is often discussed frequently, that is pluralism. And when we say Bharat, another phrase is discussed: unity in diversity." He added, "For Bharat, this unity and diversity, both are in the DNA," and cited Swami Vivekananda's message that every nation has a mission to accomplish and a destiny to fulfil.

"What is the destiny given to Bharat? Bharat is there to realise, and from time to time, make the world realise this unity in diversity. We are one, and due to this diversity, that oneness is decorated," he said. In his nearly hour-long address, he added, "Diversity has to be celebrated, respected, accepted, and at the same time, we must keep in mind this feeling of oneness. It is a very real feeling."

The event brought together people from 39 states and 853 cities, along with more than 250 students from various universities and 250 organisations from across the US. Bhagwat said people "belong to each other" and stressed the need to support communities. "We owe everything to someone else. We take from the world, and so we have to give back. How much we earn is not important, how much we distribute is important," he said.

He also spoke about the responsibilities of the Indian diaspora in the US. "What is our duty? We are in America. We live in America. We earn in America. So we are America, and we should behave true to America," he said to applause. "The diaspora, Bharatiya diaspora, they have a duty to their karmabhoomi. They must fulfil that. They should be loyal to their karmabhoomi," he said.

Bhagwat said that if members of the diaspora wished to do something for Bharat after fulfilling their duty to their karmabhoomi, "it is not prohibited, but it is not obligatory". He added, "Your janmabhoomi expects you to live the values it has imparted to you. The value is oneness." He further said, "Bharat expects you to live, as Bharat has given you the idea of life, because that is the model of sustainable living of human beings." Stressing that a nation is not just a geographical piece of land, he said, "All nations have a destiny to fulfil. This is the Bharat destiny. Let us awake as Bharatiyas to that destiny and fulfil our duties in our karmabhoomi as well as our janmabhoomi. If we do that, that will be a boon for the world struggling with all these problems and stumbling at every step. We have to give sustenance. We have to give some sort of support to this world."

Before Bhagwat's keynote address, interfaith leaders spoke about oneness, unity in diversity, kindness, compassion and helping one another. The speakers included Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, chief executive officer of the Rabbinical Assembly; Reverend Adriene Thorne, the eighth senior minister of Riverside Church in New York City and its first African American woman senior minister; and Talib M Shareef, president and Imam of Masjid Muhammad in Washington, DC.

The programme opened with cultural performances, including by Indian-American children, highlighting the musical diversity of India and the world through songs and dance. Performances also reflected cultures from Africa, Latin America, China, Europe and the Middle East, carrying the message of unity in diversity and 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'. The audience applauded performances that included musical ensembles using percussion instruments such as the Dhol Tasha.

At the event, around 180 religious leaders from 30 countries announced a five-point "call to action" to "begin with ourselves", "stand for one another", "build relationships before we need them", "serve together" and "take responsibility for the future". The One World: One Humanity Call to Action said, "When another community is threatened, we will not leave it to stand alone. We will speak when people are dehumanised or targeted, whether they belong to our community or another, whether they are near to us or far away. And when one of us takes a principled stand for the dignity of another community, we will stand beside them." It also said, "We will listen to those we have misunderstood, and create ways for people who might otherwise meet only as strangers, stereotypes, or adversaries to meet as human beings."

Closing his remarks, Bhagwat repeated the message of being "united in oneness and decorated by diversity" and said, "Diversity is natural, and unity is truth. That we must understand and shape our life according to this." The event, through speeches and performances, centred on the ideas of oneness, diversity and shared responsibility.

With PTI Inputs

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