New Delhi, Nov 7 (JKNS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the year-long national celebration marking 150 years of India’s national song ‘Vande Mataram’ at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
During the ceremony as per news agency JKNS, the Prime Minister released a commemorative postage stamp and coin and also launched a dedicated portal to mark the anniversary. The event witnessed mass singing of the full version of Vande Mataram across the country, with citizens from all walks of life joining in synchronisation with the main programme in Delhi. PM Modi also participated in the collective singing at the venue.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Saxena and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta were present on the occasion. The programme formally begins a nationwide commemoration that will run from November 7, 2025, to November 7, 2026, celebrating the song that inspired India’s freedom struggle and continues to symbolize national unity and pride.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Vande Mataram penned by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was written on Akshaya Navami, November 7, 1875, and first appeared in the literary journal Bangadarshan as part of the novel Anandamath. The hymn, invoking the motherland as a symbol of strength and divinity, became a rallying force during the independence movement and remains deeply rooted in India’s cultural consciousness.
The Union Cabinet had earlier approved nationwide celebrations to reconnect citizens, particularly youth and students, with the original spirit of the national song. Alongside the anniversary of Vande Mataram, the BJP has also planned countrywide programmes marking the 150th birth anniversary of tribal icon Bhagwan Birsa Munda. (JKNS)
