‘Vande Mataram’ Continues to Inspire National Unity, Says President Murmu on 150th Anniversary

New Delhi, Nov 7: President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said that ‘Vande Mataram’, India’s national song, continues to embody the emotional consciousness and unity of the nation, as the country marks the 150th anniversary of the iconic composition.

“On this occasion, let all of us countrymen take a firm resolve to keep Mother India endowed with ‘Sujala’ (good water), ‘Sufala’ (fine fruit), and ‘Sukhda’ (happiness), in accordance with the spirit of this song. Vande Mataram!” the President said in a post on X in Hindi.

Murmu recalled that Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay composed Vande Mataram in the nineteenth century against the backdrop of the Sannyasi Rebellion against British rule. The song later became a rallying cry during the 1905 Swadeshi Movement, inspiring freedom fighters across the nation.

“Since then, this song of reverence to Mother India has remained a proclamation of the emotional consciousness and unity of our people, and it will continue to be so,” she said, adding that after Independence, the country reverently adopted it as the national song.

Vande Mataram was first published in Bangadarshan on November 7, 1875, and later set to music by Rabindranath Tagore. The anthem, translating to “Mother, I bow to thee,” continues to inspire generations as a symbol of India’s national identity and collective spirit. (Agencies)