Fri Nov 07 04:10:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:
National Celebration Kicks Off to Mark 150 Years of ‘Vande Mataram’
New Delhi, India – November 7, 2025 – A year-long nationwide celebration commemorating the 150th anniversary of the iconic “Vande Mataram” hymn, a powerful symbol of India’s independence movement, was inaugurated today by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The event took place at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in Delhi.
The Prime Minister unveiled a commemorative postage stamp and coin to mark the occasion. In his address, Modi emphasized that “Vande Mataram” is not just a phrase, but a resolution, and a prayer to the Goddess Saraswati, promising courage for the future. He highlighted the hymn’s ability to inspire confidence and the belief that no goal is unattainable for the Indian people.
“Vande Mataram, these words are a mantra, a strength, a dream, a resolution,” Modi stated. “These words take us into history, they fill our present with new confidence, and they give new courage to our future.”
The year-long program, which will run from November 7, 2025, to November 7, 2026, will feature events across the country.
“Vande Mataram,” penned by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee on November 7, 1875, first appeared in his novel “Anand Math.” The hymn gained prominence during the Swadeshi movement against the partition of Bengal in 1905, becoming a rallying cry for independence activists. It was quickly translated into various languages and spread across the country, inspiring generations. Despite a brief ban by British rulers who recognized its potent message, “Vande Mataram” continued to fuel the spirit of the freedom struggle.
The hymn was even sung in Parliament on August 15, 1947, the day India gained independence. The anniversary celebration aims to honor the legacy of “Vande Mataram” and its enduring impact on Indian identity and patriotism.
First Piper 