New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a nationwide year-long commemoration of the National Song “Vande Mataram” on Friday at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi. The event marked the beginning of celebrations that will run from November 7, 2025, to November 7, 2026, honouring 150 years of the iconic composition that played a defining role in India’s freedom movement.
To mark the occasion, the Prime Minister unveiled a commemorative postage stamp and coin. He also introduced a dedicated digital portal celebrating the legacy of “Vande Mataram.” A key highlight of the day was the mass singing of the full version of the song at public spaces across the country, with citizens from all walks of life participating. Modi joined the collective rendition at the main venue in Delhi.
The Prime Minister’s Office noted that the year 2025 marks a century and a half since Bankimchandra Chatterji composed the song on Akshaya Navami in 1875. First published in the literary journal Bangadarshan as part of the novel Anandamath, “Vande Mataram” invoked the nation as a divine and powerful mother figure. Its message of unity and self-respect soon became a rallying cry for India’s independence movement and remains a symbol of national pride.
Earlier in October, the Union Cabinet cleared plans for a nationwide programme to commemorate the anniversary, with a particular focus on engaging students and young people with the song’s original spirit and historical significance. The celebrations aim to revive the cultural and patriotic sentiments associated with “Vande Mataram” and ensure the legacy is passed on to future generations.
Alongside this initiative, the Bharatiya Janata Party has prepared an extensive calendar of events to mark two major cultural milestones next year: the 150th anniversary of “Vande Mataram” and the 150th birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda.
