But the Sangh has, to some extent, shed its image of being a fief of Maharashtra Brahmins—the first three chiefs, K.B. Hedgewar (1925-40), M.S. Golwalkar (1940-73) and Deoras (1973-94)—belonged to the sect. Deoras was the first to announcea successor while he was alive, giving up the practice of the 'will' being made public posthumously. On March 11, 1994, Deoras declared that Prof. Rajendra Singh, his assistant for years, would succeed him. Singh, who was in favour of some young man succeeding Deoras, is the first non-Brahmin and non-Maharashtrian to make it to the top. The same evening, Deoras joined ranks with a couple of hundred volunteers to 'salute' the new chief. Heavy doses of insulin, a restricted diet and round-the-clock care from fellow disciple Srikant Joshi had kept Deoras alive for 16 years despite suffering from acute diabetes.