Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the year-long commemoration marking 150 years of India’s national song ‘Vande Mataram’ at a grand ceremony held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi today.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister described Vande Mataram as more than a song — calling it “a mantra, an energy, a dream, and a solemn resolve.” He said the words embody devotion and reverence to Maa Bharati and serve as a source of strength and inspiration for generations.
“Vande Mataram connects us to our history, fills our present with confidence, and inspires our future with the courage to believe that no goal is beyond our reach,” the Prime Minister said.
Describing the collective singing of Vande Mataram as “an experience beyond expression,” PM Modi said the unity of rhythm, tone, and emotion reflected the nation’s shared spirit and pride. He called November 7 a historic day, marking 150 years of the composition that continues to inspire patriotism and unity.
To mark the occasion, the Prime Minister released a commemorative stamp and coin dedicated to Vande Mataram and extended his greetings to citizens across the country.
Tracing the song’s legacy, Shri Modi said Vande Mataram embodies the eternal idea of India — Maa Bharati, a civilization that has witnessed the rise and fall of empires and yet remained immortal through its values and ideals. He said the poem, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, expressed the consciousness of a nation that always found balance between strength and morality.
The Prime Minister highlighted that during the colonial period, Vande Mataram became the proclamation of India’s resolve to be free. He recalled Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s words that Anandamath was not merely a novel but a dream of a free India, and that every line of Vande Mataram carried the vision of a prosperous and united nation.
PM Modi said Bankim Chandra composed Vande Mataram at a time when India had been reduced to poverty by colonial rule. Yet, the song envisioned a Sujalam Sufalam Bharat — a bountiful and self-reliant nation. “It was not just a song of freedom, but a vision for a prosperous India,” he said.
Recalling the role of Vande Mataram in the freedom struggle, the Prime Minister noted that it was sung at the 1896 Calcutta Session by Rabindranath Tagore, echoed during the anti-partition movement of 1905, and inspired revolutionaries across the country. “From the protests in Bengal to the gallows where martyrs embraced death, Vande Mataram remained the heartbeat of India’s freedom movement,” he said.
The Prime Minister also referred to Mahatma Gandhi’s 1927 remark that Vande Mataram represents the vision of an undivided India and Sri Aurobindo’s description of it as a mantra that awakens inner strength. He added that Bhikaji Cama’s early design of India’s national flag also carried the words Vande Mataram at its centre.
Paying homage to all known and unknown freedom fighters who laid down their lives with Vande Mataram on their lips, the Prime Minister said, “Today, all 140 crore Indians bow to those who sacrificed everything for Maa Bharati.”
Emphasizing that the nation is not just a geographic entity but a living mother, he said the spirit of Vande Mataram is rooted in India’s ancient tradition of worshipping the mother as a divine embodiment of knowledge, prosperity, and strength.
He noted that the song’s invocation of Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Durga reflects the vision of a nation rooted in learning, abundance, and power — values that continue to guide India’s journey today.
Highlighting India’s growing strength, the Prime Minister said the world is witnessing New India’s rise — a nation advancing in science and technology, achieving self-reliance, and defending itself with courage. “When India becomes the first nation to reach the South Pole of the Moon, when our daughters fly fighter jets, when our soldiers defend the nation’s borders, every Indian proudly proclaims — Vande Mataram!” he said.
He noted that the day also marks 11 years of the implementation of One Rank One Pension and lauded the armed forces for their dedication to national security.
PM Modi urged citizens to make this century the century of India, drawing inspiration from the original dream of Vande Mataram. “Bharat Mata today has 140 crore children and 280 crore hands. What can stop us from achieving our dreams?” he said.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Saxena, and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta were present at the event.
The programme marks the formal launch of a year-long nationwide commemoration from November 7, 2025, to November 7, 2026, celebrating 150 years of the timeless composition that inspired India’s freedom movement and continues to evoke national pride and unity.
Written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay during Akshaya Navami on November 7, 1875, Vande Mataram was first published in Bangadarshan as part of his novel Anandamath. The song, invoking the Motherland as the embodiment of strength, prosperity, and divinity, became a symbol of India’s awakening and remains one of the most cherished expressions of national devotion.