CHENNAI: In a ceremony at 9:30 AM on Friday in the national capital, PM Narendra Modi launched a year-long nationwide commemoration marking the 150th anniversary of the national song 'Vande Mataram'.
He released a commemorative coin and postage stamp in conjunction with the launch.
At 9:50 AM, a mass recitation of the full version of 'Vande Mataram' was scheduled at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi, to be echoed via public-spaces across the country.
Key facts about “Vande Mataram” and the commemoration:
The song was penned by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee on 7 November 1875 (on Akshaya Navami) and first published in the journal Bangadarshan.
It later featured in his novel Anandamath (published 1882).
In 1896, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore sang Vande Mataram at the Kolkata session of the Indian National Congress. Later, singing the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram became a routine at the Congress meetings.
It gained popularity as part of the freedom movement and was adopted by the Constituent Assembly in January 1950 as the 'national song', to be honoured equally with the national anthem.
The government’s commemoration plan spans from 7 November 2025 to 7 November 2026, according to the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
What to expect through the year:
Exhibitions, short-films, outreach programmes and global music festivals dedicated to the song will be held.
Outreach in Tier 2/3 cities, and among youth via seminars and cultural renditions.
The mass singing today sets the tone — an invitation to citizens across segments to join in public spaces.
In states like Gujarat, government offices will operate starting at 9:30 AM today and employees will take part in collective singing of the song.
Why this matters:
'Vande Mataram' is more than a patriotic hymn — it stands as a historical link between literary expression, anti-colonial struggle and modern national identity.
The commemoration is positioned not just as remembrance, but as a reaffirmation of unity, sacrifice and cultural heritage.
The year-long drive will see the song elevated through multiple mediums and platforms, seeking to bring it into everyday public awareness and participation.
The government’s push emphasises the full version of the song (not just the first two stanzas), mass participation, and leveraging the 150-year marker as an anchor for renewed patriotic engagement.
