Hindustan Scouts And Guides West Bengal

What is Scouting :

In our view, Scouting is much more than just physical training—it’s a transformative journey that elevates the spirit, guiding a person closer to God. Through its playful yet structured approach, Scouting nurtures the growth of an individual from early childhood, shaping them into an ideal human being throughout their life’s journey. As the saying goes: "Once a Scout, always a Scout."

Origin of Scouting Guiding :

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The term "Scout" originally comes from the military, where every country’s armed forces maintain their own scouting units. A retired senior British Army officer, Sir Robert Stephenson Smyth Lord Baden-Powell, famously used the help of the sons of military personnel to secure victory in the Boer War in South Africa in 1900. Inspired by this experience, he wrote a book called Aids to Scouting, which became popular among youth groups in England. Later, in 1907, he published his landmark book Scouting for Boys, sparking the global Scouting movement. Following his retirement, he organized the first experimental but highly successful training camp at Brownsea Island in England, from July 29 to September 9, 1907, with 22 boys participating. This marked the official birth of the Scouting movement worldwide. Girl Guides—continue to be used. On the global stage, the movement is represented under the banner of the “World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS),” while its brother organization is the “World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM).” Both work in partnership to support Scouting and Guiding around the world.

For girls, the Scouting movement began in 1910 under the leadership of Lord Baden-Powell’s sister, Agnes Baden-Powell, who was then unmarried. Initially, it was known as “Girl Scouting.” Two years later, after Agnes got married, Lord Baden-Powell himself also married Miss Olave in 1912. Olave Baden-Powell then took over the leadership of the girls’ program and renamed it “Girl Guiding.” Even today, both terms—Girl Scouts and Scouting was first introduced to India in 1909 under the name “Boys Scouts of India.” A few years later, in 1913, the movement for girls was established as Girl Guiding. However, during that time, both organizations were limited to serving European and Anglo-Indian boys and girls, leaving out the wider Indian community.

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Sir Robert Stephenson Smyth Lord Baden-Powell

At first, these organizations kept their doors firmly closed to Indian boys and girls. This exclusion caused considerable resentment among Indians. When the World Chief Scout, Lord Baden-Powell, visited India in 1921, prominent Indian leader Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya met with him to request that Scouting be opened to all Indian youth. Unfortunately, Lord Baden-Powell bluntly refused, a decision widely reported in newspapers worldwide, which only fueled further anger among Indians. As a result, new Scout troops began to spring up across the country. By 1928, there were already nine such Indian-led Scout troops actively operating.

Even Dr. Annie Besant, an Englishwoman who supported Mahatma Gandhi’s work, formed a Girl Guide company in Madras. In 1928, Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya appealed to all Indian Scout groups to unite under a single banner, and they agreed. This led to the creation of the “Hindustan Scouts Association.” Pt. Shri Ram Bajpai, who had previously founded the “Sewa Samiti Scouts Group” and created Indian literature for Scouting, was appointed as the first National Organising Commissioner. Under the guidance of Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya, along with leaders like Pt. Hridya Nath Kunjroo, Vivian Bose, G.S. Arundale, Mohan Singh Mehta, and other notable figures, the Hindustan Scouts Association took shape and began its work in earnest.

An exceptional event unfolded :

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In 1938, Lord Baden-Powell, the World Chief Scout, visited India again, where the Boy Scouts of India organized a grand rally at Allahabad. Pt. Shri Ram Bajpai attended with a contingent from the Hindustan Scouts Association, all dressed in uniform. When Lord Baden-Powell, serving as the chief guest, attempted to hoist the flag, it remained stuck. Despite attempts by English Scouts and Scouters, the flag wouldn’t unfurl. At that moment, Pt. Shri Ram Bajpai instructed one of his Scouts to climb the flagpole and fix the problem. The Indian Scout scaled the pole but as he reached the top, the pole suddenly snapped, causing him to fall along with the broken section. Undeterred, he climbed back up with the broken piece and his Scout rope, lashed the damaged part to the fixed section, and ensured the flag could be hoisted. After descending and saluting Pt. Shri Ram Bajpai, the Indian Scout stood proud.

Pt. Shri Ram Bajpai then requested Lord Baden-Powell to try hoisting the flag again, and this time it worked perfectly. Impressed by the courage and resourcefulness shown by the Indian Scout, Lord Baden-Powell praised him in his speech. He also retracted his previous remarks from 1921 that had excluded Indians and recommended to the Viceroy of India that the Hindustan Scouts Association be recognized at the national level and given a government grant-in-aid. Additionally, he urged the Viceroy to send Pt. Shri Ram Bajpai to attend the Wood Badge Training Camp at Gilwell Park in England, supported by government funding.