Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi inaugurated the year-long commemoration of 150 years of the National Song “Vande Mataram” in New Delhi on November 7.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Modi remarked that “Vande Mataram” is not merely a phrase, “it is a mantra, an energy, a dream, and a solemn resolve”.
The song “Vande Mataram” — the Sanskrit-based phrase roughly translates to “I worship you, mother(land)” — was infused with the sentiments of India’s freedom struggle against the British, when it was written by the great Bengali novelist Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in the late 19th century.
First published in the literary journal Bangadarshan in 1875, the song, written in a mix of Sanskrit and Bengali, was included in Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s iconic novel Anandamath in 1882, and it finally became the National Song of independent India in 1950, the same year when the new nation became a republic, following the freedom achieved in 1947.
In 1997, to mark the 50th anniversary of Independence, the renowned Indian composer AR Rahman released a studio album that was his own tribute to Vande Mataram, but with a new set of lyrics.
In his speech on 7 November 2025, marking the start of the year-long celebrations, PM Modi said that the phrase “Vande Mataram” embodies the devotion and spiritual dedication to “Maa Bharati”, meaning Mother India.
“This one phrase connects us to our history, fills our present with confidence, and inspires our future with the courage to believe that no resolve is beyond fulfilment, and no goal is beyond our reach,” said Modi.
He said that during the colonial era, Vande Mataram became the proclamation of the resolve that India would be free, the chains of bondage would be broken by the hands of Maa Bharati, and her children would become the architects of their own destiny.
“Vande Mataram became the voice of India’s freedom struggle, a chant that echoed on the lips of every revolutionary, a voice that expressed the emotions of every Indian,” said PM Modi.
The prime minister stated that as India celebrates 150 years of Vande Mataram, this “sacred occasion will offer new inspiration and infuse fresh energy to our citizens”.
Recalling Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s words that Bankim Chandra’s Anandamath was not merely a novel, but the dream of a free India, PM Modi emphasised upon the profound significance of Vande Mataram in Anandamath, noting that every line, every word, and every emotion in Bankim Babu’s composition carries deep meaning.
He stated that although the song was composed during the colonial era, its words are not confined by the shadows of those centuries of bondage. It has remained free from the memories of subjugation, and that is why Vande Mataram remains relevant in every era and every age.
Modi quoted the first two lines of the song — “Sujalam Sufalam Malayaja Sheetalam, Shasyashyamalam Mataram (pure water, plentiful fruits, cool breeze, green crops of our motherland)” — and interpreted the lyrics as a tribute to nature’s divine blessings bestowed on the motherland (India).
Highlighting that this has been India’s identity for thousands of years, PM Modi said that its rivers, mountains, forests, trees, and fertile soil have always had the power to yield abundance.
He said that for centuries, the world had listened to stories of India’s prosperity. However, he noted that when Bankim Babu composed Vande Mataram, India had drifted far from that golden era. Foreign invasions, plunder, and exploitative colonial policies had left the country suffering with poverty and hunger.
Yet, he said, Bankim Babu invoked the vision of a prosperous India, driven by his belief that no matter how great the challenges, India could revive its golden age. And thus, he gave the clarion call — “Vande Mataram”.
The prime minister stated that during the colonial era, the British sought to justify their rule by portraying India as inferior and backward. He emphasised that the very first line of “Vande Mataram” powerfully dismantled this false propaganda. Therefore, Vande Mataram was not merely a song of freedom, but also a vision of what a free India could be: Sujalam Sufalam Bharat.
To capture the spirit of Vande Mataram, a special commemorative coin and postage stamp dedicated to the song were released on November 7.
Paying tribute to all the bravehearts and luminaries of India who dedicated their lives to Maa Bharati, the prime minister extended congratulations to all present and conveyed his best wishes to every citizen on the completion of 150 years of Vande Mataram.
