150 Years of Vande Mataram: A Melody That Became a Movement

As India prepares to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its National Song “Vande Mataram” on November 7, 2025, the nation reflects on a timeless composition that has inspired unity, devotion, and patriotism for generations. Composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and first published in the literary journal Bangadarshan on November 7, 1875, the song continues to embody India’s spiritual and national consciousness.

The Government of India will inaugurate the year-long commemoration at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release a commemorative stamp and coin to mark the occasion. A mass singing of the full version of “Vande Mataram” will be held simultaneously across the nation, symbolising collective reverence for the Motherland.

The celebration titled “A Melody That Became a Movement” will trace the journey of Vande Mataram — from its origins as a literary hymn in “Anandamath” (1882) to its role as the battle cry of India’s freedom movement. The song was first sung publicly by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 Congress Session in Calcutta, and became a rallying slogan during the Swadeshi Movement of 1905.

The year-long activities will include cultural programmes, exhibitions, and musical renditions across India and abroad. The Government has outlined four phases of commemoration, including special broadcasts on All India Radio and Doordarshan, patriotic murals along highways, and global music festivals dedicated to Vande Mataram.

In his 1950 address to the Constituent Assembly, Dr. Rajendra Prasad declared Vande Mataram to hold equal honour with Jana Gana Mana, acknowledging its historic role in uniting India’s freedom movement.

As the nation celebrates 150 years of “Vande Mataram”, these commemorative initiatives reaffirm its enduring message — a call for unity, sacrifice, and devotion to the Motherland. The song, once a hymn of resistance, continues to resonate as a symbol of India’s timeless spirit and national pride.