Maharashtra Govt To Celebrate 150 Years Of Vande Mataram With Year-Long Statewide Programmes Starting November 7

New Delhi: The Maharashtra government has announced an elaborate year-long programme to mark 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram, penned by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1875.The celebration, which will unfold in four phases across the state, begins on November 7 — the day the song completes a century and a half.

The song, which became a rallying cry during India’s freedom struggle, was first sung publicly by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 Indian National Congress session held in Kolkata, then Calcutta. During the pre-Independence years, its first two stanzas were routinely sung at every Congress session. On January 24, 1950, Dr Rajendra Prasad, India’s first President, declared in the Constituent Assembly that Vande Mataram would enjoy the same status and honour as the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.

Following directions from the Centre, the state government has issued a Government Resolution (GR) to launch the sesquicentennial celebrations. All schools across Maharashtra have been asked to sing Vande Mataram to mark the commencement. However, the GR remains silent on whether schools should sing the full version or just the first two stanzas. District-level committees, chaired by the District Collector, will oversee the celebrations.

The panels will include municipal commissioners, police chiefs, zilla parishad CEOs, tehsildars, and district heads of education, sports, and information departments. The Resident Deputy Collector will serve as the committee’s member secretary. The first phase of celebrations will be held from November 7 to 14, followed by the second phase from November 19 until Republic Day 2026. The third phase will run from August 7 to 15, and the final phase from November 1 to 7 next year. A national-level event is planned in New Delhi on November 7, to be mirrored by district-level gatherings where mass singing of Vande Mataram will take place.

Schools will host essay, debate, and poster competitions, while police bands will perform patriotic tunes in public spaces. In addition, exhibitions, quizzes, and karaoke booths will be set up to allow citizens to record and upload their renditions of Vande Mataram on a dedicated portal. The theme of Vande Mataram will also be integrated into next year’s Republic Day celebrations, keeping alive the spirit of India’s enduring anthem of unity.

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