Veer Savarkar was and continues to be one of the tallest exponents of Hindutva and Hindu nationalism. His definition of the term 'Hindu' caused the Arya Samaj leader Swami Shraddhanand to exclaim, “It must have been one of those Vedic dawns indeed which inspired our seers with new truths that revealed to the author of Hindutva this mantra, this definition of Hindutva.” Savarkar's definition of the term 'Hindu' has been de facto accepted by the Constitution of free India. His treatise on Hindutva and his six presidential addresses to the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha continue to be the ideological backbone of the Hindu nationalist movement to this day. His views on Hinduization of politics, militarization of Hindus, Hindu-Muslim relations, national security and related issues continue to influence countless Hindus. It is no exaggeration to say that Savarkar counts amongst the most influential political and social philosophers of the twentieth century. However, Savarkar was no armchair philosopher. He breathed life into the Hindu Mahasabha and remained true to the Hindu cause till the end of his life. Savarkar’s nationalism did not conflict with, and in fact merged with his humanism. The period from 1922 to 1966 may be broadly termed as his phase as Hindu philosopher and political activist par excellence.