RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Wednesday that the people of Bharat should follow their traditions and work for the betterment of society and the world, stressing that everyone should contribute towards ensuring a fulfilling life for all.

Bharat's traditions are key to ensuring the safety and welfare of society and the world, he said after inaugurating various initiatives at the Gau-Vigyan Anusandhan Kendra in Deolapur, Nagpur district, to mark the birth centenary year of late VHP president Ashok Singhal.

"For the safety of our lives, society, religion and the betterment of the world, the path that is becoming unavoidable every passing day is that the people of Bharat should live as per their traditions and succeed. Everyone should have a fulfilling life, and we all should do something," he said.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief said there was a need for everyone to contribute, adding that the number of people "engaged in good work" was not enough given the size of society.

"Our society loves festivals, and we participate in them with great enthusiasm. But people don't usually think, 'I will do what needs to be done'. People say they have a job and a family to raise, but expect someone else to do something good for society," Bhagwat said.

When something good happens, it reflects the contribution of the entire society, the RSS chief said.

He said there were two ways of remembering good people -- by doing good work or merely remembering those who had done good work. Many people, he said, believed that someone else should undertake such work even when they knew what needed to be done.

According to Bhagwat, people who demonstrate sacrifice and endurance in their personal lives can inspire others to take difficult paths and move forward. "When you give a lot, you get a lot in return also," he said.

Referring to late Sangh ideologue Moropant Pingley and late VHP (Vishva Hindu Parishad) leader Ashok Singhal, he said they had dedicated their lives to a larger cause and continue to be widely honoured.

"When Ashok Singhal and Moropant Pingley set out on the path of dedicating everything for the nation's welfare, they were not very famous then. But one thing stood out: they had a firm resolve that 'my life is not only for myself, but my life is also for this nation'. With that resolve, they continued (to work selflessly) throughout their lives," he said.

Bhagwat said people should put all their strength into their lives without worrying about what would happen, what would not happen, what would become of them or what they would get in return.

He said people should work with the interests of the country and society in mind.

"If we make a resolution and devote all our time and effort to it, however little it may be, even if it is beyond our limits, and if I have earned something, I should be able to give away some of it with my own hands. I spend time on many things; I should spend some time on my people, my land, my forests, my animals and my agriculture," he said.

He said that if people made such a resolution and started acting on it, they would truly be able to say that the people of India had preserved the memory of those great men who had achieved so much.