VANDE MATARAM — 150 YEARS CELEBRATION

A Song of the Motherland • A Legacy of India’s Freedom

“Vande Mataram” — “I Bow to Thee, Mother”

Composed by the eminent Bengali writer Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Vande Mataram was first published in the literary journal Bangadarshan on 7 November 1875. It was later included in his historic novel Anandamath (1882).

The song became deeply associated with India’s freedom movement. Rabindranath Tagore sang Vande Mataram at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress in Calcutta, bringing it to a wider national audience. During the Swadeshi Movement of 1905, it became an important expression of national awakening and the aspiration for freedom.

Through its poetic celebration of the motherland, Vande Mataram came to symbolise love of the nation, courage, unity, self-respect and the spirit of freedom.

Following Independence, Vande Mataram was accorded the status of National Song of India in 1950. Together with the National Anthem, it occupies a cherished place in the country’s national heritage.

150 Years of Vande Mataram — 1875–2025

The 150th anniversary commemorates not merely the creation of a historic composition, but a cultural legacy that has travelled across generations.

From the pages of literature to the freedom struggle, and from Independence to contemporary India, Vande Mataram continues to evoke a profound sense of belonging to the motherland.

150 years later, its message continues to resonate:

A tribute to the Motherland, a remembrance of sacrifice, and a celebration of India’s enduring spirit.