PM Modi launches year-long celebration of ‘Vande Mataram’ on 150th anniversary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the year-long commemoration marking 150 years of India’s National Song, “Vande Mataram,” at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Friday.

To mark the historic occasion, the Prime Minister unveiled a commemorative stamp and coin, and also launched a special digital portal dedicated to the legacy of “Vande Mataram.” The event featured the mass singing of the full version of the national song by citizens across the country, symbolising unity and patriotic fervour.

Prominent dignitaries, including Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Saxena, and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta attended the inaugural ceremony.

According to a release from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), this commemoration marks the beginning of a nationwide year-long celebration that will run from November 7, 2025, to November 7, 2026.

Penned by Bankimchandra Chatterji on Akshaya Navami, November 7, 1875, “Vande Mataram” first appeared in the literary journal Bangadarshan as part of his iconic novel Anandamath. The song, which reveres the motherland as a divine symbol of strength, prosperity, and virtue, played a pivotal role in fuelling India’s freedom movement and continues to inspire a sense of national pride and unity.

Earlier in October, the Union Cabinet approved the country-wide celebrations, aiming to rekindle the song’s revolutionary spirit among youth and students. The year-long programme seeks to honour the song’s timeless message and ensure its enduring legacy in the hearts of future generations.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also planned extensive nationwide activities, not only to celebrate Vande Mataram’s 150th anniversary but also to mark the 150th birth anniversary of tribal icon Bhagwan Birsa Munda.