“Vande Mataram is the Soul of Bharat”: PM Modi

• PM Modi launches 150th-anniversary commemoration of Vande Mataram in New Delhi.
• Describes Vande Mataram as a “mantra, energy, and eternal idea of Bharat.”
• Says the song became the voice of India’s freedom struggle and unity.
• Special commemorative coin and postage stamp released to mark the occasion.

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 7th Nov: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated the year-long commemoration of 150 years of India’s national song Vande Mataram in New Delhi, describing it as “not merely a word, but a mantra, an energy, and a solemn resolve.”

Addressing a gathering of dignitaries, Modi said the essence of Vande Mataram lies in Maa Bharati—the eternal idea of Bharat. “It connects us to our history, fills our present with confidence, and inspires our future with courage,” he said.

Marking the historic occasion, the Prime Minister released a special commemorative coin and postage stamp dedicated to Vande Mataram, paying homage to the countless freedom fighters who drew inspiration from it. “During the colonial era, Vande Mataram became the proclamation of the resolve that India would be free, and her children would shape their destiny,” he said.

Modi recounted that the song, composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875, became the anthem of the freedom struggle, echoing on the lips of every revolutionary and protestor—from the partition of Bengal to the fight against colonial oppression. “Vande Mataram was not just a song of resistance—it was a vision of a free, prosperous India,” the Prime Minister noted.

Citing figures like Rabindranath Tagore, Sri Aurobindo, and Bhikaji Cama, Modi said the song united India’s diverse regions under one voice. “Whenever the national flag unfurls, these words rise instinctively from our hearts—Bharat Mata ki Jai! Vande Mataram!” he said to thunderous applause.

The Prime Minister also warned against divisive ideologies that attempt to dilute India’s unity, recalling how certain verses of Vande Mataram were excluded in 1937, which he said sowed the seeds of partition. “Today’s generation must understand this history,” he added.

Highlighting India’s rise in science, economy, and defence, Modi said, “As India moves toward 2047 with the resolve of a developed Bharat, every achievement—be it in space, sports, or technology—echoes Vande Mataram!.”

He concluded by affirming that Vande Mataram will continue to inspire India’s 140 crore citizens through the Amrit Kaal. “This spirit of Maa Bharati will guide us toward the goal of a developed India,” he said.

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta were present at the ceremony.