Celebrating 150 Years of Vande Mataram

National, Jan 22, 2026: India is celebrating 150 years of its National Song ‘Vande Mataram', through mass singing, cultural events, and Military Band performances at prominent public locations across the country. The aim of the celebration is to foster national pride and unity.

As part of these celebrations the Indian Air Force (IAF) Band, comprising 31 musicians, performed at the amphitheatre in Rajiv Chowk, New Delhi on 21 Jan 26. The 45 minute performance included brass, reed, string and electronic instruments fused into eleven captivating tunes. Renditions of ‘Vande Mataram' and the song 'Sindoor’, composed to commemorate the actions of the Indian Armed Forces during Op Sindoor, were the highlights of the performance.

For centuries, music has stood out as a brilliant jewel of Indian culture. It has also has been an integral part of India's rich military heritage, fostering unity and inspiring bravery. Since its inception in 1944 the Indian Air Force Band, with its diverse repertoire of Indian and Western music, has been a cornerstone of the country's military tradition. The Indian Air Force Band aims to inspire patriotism and spread the spirit of unity through its captivating performances.

Vande Mataram

Originally composed by 19th century Bengali poet Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1875, Vande Mataram ('I Bow to Thee Mother') was first published in this novel Anandmath in 1882. The poem was written in Sanskritized Bengali and was first publicly sung by Rabindranath Tagore at the Calcutta (now Kolkata) session of the Indian National Congress in 1896. The poem was banned by the British as it gained immense popularity suring the Swadeshi movement as it became a potent symbol of resistance against the colonial rulers. The Indian National Congress, in 1937, adopted the first two stanzas as the national song. In 1950, the Constituent Assembly of India formally adopted Vande Mataram as the national song on Jan 24, 1950 and the then President, Rajendra Prasad stated that it held equal honor with Jana Gana Mana the National Anthem.

#VandeMataram150 #NationalSongOfIndia #IndianAirForce #IAFBand #OpSindoor #IndianArmedForces #UnityInDiversity #Patriotism

Source: PIB.GOV.IN & Self Written from Various Sources

(The above extract has been taken from the Press Note issued by the PIB. UdaipurTimes team has added the last paragraph to the Press Release, to emphasize the importance of Vande Mataram with a brief note.)