Arya Samaj today stands as a historically important reform movement whose direct organizational influence has become more modest, even as many of its ideas have seeped into the broader fabric of Hindu life. Its presence is most visible in certain regions of North and West India—such as Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and some urban centers elsewhere—along with a noticeable footprint in the Indian diaspora. Through temples, local sabhas, and affiliated trusts, it continues to conduct Vedic havans and simple congregational gatherings, often serving as a hub for both religious practice and social interaction. Yet, compared with its earlier era of intense public debate and mobilization, its distinct identity is less central to the religious imagination of the wider Hindu community.

The most enduring and tangible expression of Arya Samaj’s influence lies in its educational work, especially through the Dayanand Anglo Vedic (DAV) network and related institutions. These schools and colleges, spread across India and abroad, seek to combine modern education with Vedic ethical values, and they educate large numbers of students from diverse backgrounds. This educational legacy has also reinforced its long-standing commitment to Hindi and Sanskrit, visible in liturgy, curriculum, and cultural orientation. Even where students or families do not explicitly identify as Arya Samajis, the ethos of disciplined, value-based education associated with these institutions continues to shape attitudes toward learning and morality.

In the sphere of religious and social life, Arya Samaj remains a significant advocate of a simplified, scriptural Hinduism centered on the Vedas, monotheism, and the rejection of elaborate ritualism and idolatry. Its role in popularizing simple, low-cost Vedic-style weddings and other rites is particularly noteworthy; many couples, including those from outside the movement, turn to Arya Samaj for inter-caste or inter-regional marriages and for ceremonies that avoid ostentation. The movement continues to affirm principles such as women’s education, widow remarriage, opposition to child marriage and dowry, and the rejection of caste distinctions based purely on birth, even if the practical impact of these ideals varies with local social conditions. In this way, it quietly sustains a reformist current within Hindu society, even when not at the center of public discourse.

At the same time, Arya Samaj faces clear limitations and challenges. Its membership is relatively modest in relation to the wider Hindu population, and its appeal is strongest among particular communities and urban middle-class groups. Many who benefit from its institutions—especially schools and marriage services—do not necessarily embrace its full doctrinal program, which contributes to a gradual fading of its distinct theological profile. Other religious and ideological organizations now play a more prominent role in shaping public debates, while Arya Samaj’s own internal diversity and regional variations sometimes dilute its collective voice. Yet its legacy in education, social reform, and the normalization of more egalitarian and less ritualistic forms of worship continues to exert a quiet, persistent influence on modern Indian religious and social life.