Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the year-long commemoration of India’s National Song, ‘Vande Mataram’, at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Friday. The celebration marks 150 years of the iconic composition that inspired India’s freedom movement and continues to stir national pride and unity.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the event will begin at around 9:30 a.m., during which the Prime Minister will also release a commemorative stamp and coin to mark the milestone.

“We celebrate 150 glorious years of Vande Mataram, a stirring call that has inspired generations and ignited an undying spirit of patriotism across our nation,” Prime Minister Modi said in a post on X.

The programme will also feature mass singing of the full version of ‘Vande Mataram’ at around 9:50 a.m. across public places nationwide, with participation from citizens across all walks of life, held in conjunction with the main event in the capital.
The year-long commemoration will run from November 7, 2025, to November 7, 2026, celebrating the timeless composition’s 150th year.

‘Vande Mataram’ was written by Bankimchandra Chatterji on Akshaya Navami, November 7, 1875, and first appeared in the literary journal ‘Bangadarshan’ as part of his celebrated novel ‘Anandamath’.

The song, invoking the motherland as the embodiment of strength, prosperity, and divinity, gave poetic expression to India’s awakening spirit of unity and self-respect. Over the decades, it became a rallying cry for freedom fighters and an enduring symbol of devotion to the nation.