Nobel Prize winner and social activist Kailash Satyarthi attended annual "Vijaya Dashami" function of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Nagpur on Thursday.

Satyarthi was invited by the RSS as the chief guest at this year's "Vijaya Dashami" function in Nagpur where the RSS headquarters is housed.

The function began by the 'Path Sanchalan" (route march) of RSS volunteers in Nagpur. Later today, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat will speak on a range of issues and outlines the organisation's views on the present scenario and future agenda, will be held at the Reshimbagh Ground in Nagpur on October 18.

Nagpur: Visuals of 'Path Sanchalan" (route march) on the occasion of RSS Vijayadashami Utsav. RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat also present. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/2VGrY8SzsS — ANI (@ANI) October 18, 2018

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will deliver his annual speech in the presence of swayamsevaks (volunteers), who will come from all over the country as also abroad, an RSS statement said. The Vijaya Dashami programme starts at 7.40 am and concludes with the RSS chief's speech.

Satyarthi (64), a children's rights activist, won the Nobel Peace prize in 2014.

The Vijaya Dashami programme and the RSS chief's speech are among the most important events in the organisation's annual calendar. It was on Vijayadashmi in 1925 that Keshav Baliram Hedgewar had set up the RSS.

Last year, Bhagwat had spoken on issues like the Rohingya crisis, cow vigilantism, Jammu and Kashmir and surgical strikes. Sant Nirmal Das Maharaj, a Dalit Sikh religious leader was the chief guest at last year's event. Nirmal Das Maharaj was the first Dalit leader to be invited as the chief guest at the event.

Asked why Satyarthi has been invited this year, another Sangh functionary said like the RSS, he has also been working for the welfare of society.

His organisation is doing a great job in rescuing children who have been forced into illegal labour and trafficking, the functionary said.

(With PTI inputs)