News– Prime Minister urged citizens to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the National Song by upholding and passing on its values to future generations.
About National Song (Vande Mataram)
- Composition: Vande Mataram was originally composed in Sanskrit by Bankimchandra Chatterjee and included in his novel Anand Math (1882).
- Significance: It enjoys a status equal to that of the National Anthem, Jana-Gana-Mana, symbolizing India’s freedom struggle and national unity.
- First Sung: The song was first sung at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress in Calcutta by Rabindranath Tagore.
- Adoption: On 24 January 1950, the Constituent Assembly officially adopted it as the National Song of India.
- Constitutional Aspect: Although Article 51A(a) of the Constitution enjoins citizens to respect the Constitution, its ideals and institutions, the National Flag, and the National Anthem, it does not make specific mention of the National Song.
