Senior RSS pracharak Suriji passes away

He was 93. Rao was responsible for the growth of Sangh in Tamil Nadu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condoled his death through Twitter.

Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, who is currently in Bengaluru, BJP Karnataka president BS Yeddyurappa, were among those who have condoled his death. 

Born on August 20, 1924 at Mysore, Rao joined RSS as a Swayamsevak at the age of 18 and became a full time Pracharak in 1946. 

He successfully organised the first Karnataka State Vishwa Hindu Parishad at Udipi in December 1969. He was the Prantha Pracharak of Tamil Nadu from 1971 to 1984 and then he was the Kshetra Pracharak comprising Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka up to 1990. Subsequently he was assigned the responsibility as Akhila Bharathiya Seva Pramukh. 

He had extensively toured all parts of the country for the development of Seva Projects and abroad. 

Later he was a member of the Akhila Bharathiya Karyakari Mandal and had the responsibility of looking after VHP, Vanavasi Kalyana Ashram, National Medico’s Organization Arogya Bharathi, Seva International and Samskrita Bharathi.