Delhi marks 150 years of 'Vande Mataram' with grand celebrations across institutions

New Delhi, Nov 7 (PTI) From schools and the secretariat to the Delhi Legislative Assembly, the national capital on Friday celebrated 150 years of the national song "Vande Mataram" with a series of programmes honouring its historical and cultural legacy.

At an event organised by the NCC Directorate, Delhi, near the War Memorial on KG Marg, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood attended as the chief guest and announced the expansion of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in the capital. He also initiated the process to set up a modern NCC Academy.

"This academy will not just be a building, but a laboratory of discipline, leadership and national service," Sood said while addressing NCC officers and cadets. He urged the youth to actively participate in nation-building and reflected on the enduring significance of Vande Mataram.

An exhibition at the venue depicted the 150-year journey of the song, tracing how Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay composed it under challenging circumstances and how it evolved into a rallying cry during India's freedom struggle.

Sood said Vande Mataram embodied the courage and unity of an India determined to rise from colonial rule.

"When Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote Vande Mataram, he gave voice to an India yearning to rise from the darkness of slavery into the dawn of freedom," he said.

Recalling its legacy, Sood highlighted how, in 1905, chants of Vande Mataram by 40,000 people in Kolkata became a symbol of resistance and awakening.

"Now, 150 years later, as India moves through its Amrit Kaal, Vande Mataram is not just history — it is a mantra for the future," he added.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mann Ki Baat, the minister said the Prime Minister had described Vande Mataram as a phrase "filled with boundless emotion and energy," inspiring citizens to work toward making India a developed nation by 2047.

Sood also spoke about Delhi's challenges, including pollution, Yamuna rejuvenation, waste management and traffic congestion.

"If the city's three crore citizens each take one step daily to resolve these issues, Delhi will move three crore steps forward — and it is the youth who must lead this change," he said.

Similar events were organised across the capital. Schools screened a short film on Vande Mataram and held a "Salute to Mother Earth" tree plantation drive as part of the first phase of the year-long commemoration, running from November 7 to 14, according to the Directorate of Education (DoE).

The DoE said the programme will be conducted in four phases — in November 2025, January 2026, August and November.

At the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Speaker Vijender Gupta called Vande Mataram "a timeless anthem that binds every Indian to the spirit of our motherland." Ministers and officials at the Delhi Secretariat also joined in singing the national song.

The commemorative events mark the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, believed to have been written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay on Akshaya Navami in 1875.

First published in the literary journal Bangadarshan as part of his novel Anandamath, the song went on to become a symbol of India's awakening and resistance during colonial times. PTI SHB SHB HIG HIG