Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid tributes to renowned litterateur and nationalist thinker Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay on his birth anniversary.
In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Tributes to the great Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay on his Jayanti. A towering literary luminary, his writings awakened a spirit of patriotism and cultural pride among generations of Indians. His rich literary work continues to illuminate minds and strengthen our collective resolve towards nation-building. This is a time when we are marking the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram. Through Vande Mataram, he gifted the freedom movement and our nation one of its most enduring inspirations.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also paid homage to Chattopadhyay, recalling his immense contribution to India’s literary heritage and nationalist movement.
In a post on X, HM Shah said, “On the birth anniversary of the great litterateur and pioneer of cultural nationalism, Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay ji, I remember him and pay my respects. Through his immortal work ‘Anandamath’, Bankimchandra ji conveyed the message of devotion, sacrifice, and national consciousness towards the motherland. By composing ‘Vande Mataram’, he provided new energy, inspiration, and ideological foundation to the Indian freedom struggle.”
“Today, as ‘Vande Mataram’ completes 150 years, it continues to convey the message of national unity and self-pride across the entire country in its original form,” he added.
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, one of India’s most celebrated novelists, poets and intellectuals, is widely regarded as a pioneer of modern Bengali literature. His novel Anandamath, published in 1882, introduced Vande Mataram, which went on to become a rallying cry for India’s freedom movement and remains one of the nation’s most revered patriotic songs.
