150 Years of Vande Mataram: Key facts every Indian should know about the song
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People waving Indian national flags take part in a rally along the Kartavya Path near India Gate, expressing solidarity with the armed forces in New Delhi on May 13, 2025, following a ceasefire between Pakistan and India. Photograph: (AFP)
India marks 150 years of Vande Mataram on November 7, 2025. Learn about its history, meaning, significance, and how even after 150 years, the song evokes national unity.
November 7, 2025, marks the 150th anniversary of the Indian National Song Vande Mataram. Composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the song first appeared on Bangadarshan on November 7, 1875. He later incorporated it in his immortal novel, 'Anandamath' in 1882 and was first sung by Nobel laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore in the 1896 Indian National Congress session. It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the National song in 1950. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the year-long celebration of the national song at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
Key facts about Vande Mataram
150 Years of Vande Mataram
Vande Mataram is imbued in Indian consciousness. From the plains of Bengal to Bombay and Punjab, everywhere in India, the song was emblematic of the collective aspiration for freedom and self-governance. The song manages to materialise the abstract idea of patriotism and nationalism. During the colonial period, it was a symbol of resistance, and today, after 150 years, it is a collective identity, a collective aspiration, and a collective effervescence.
