Vande Mataram remains as moral compass for Indian democracy: Haryana CM

Vande Mataram, a song written in 1875, continues to remain a moral compass for Indian democracy, reminding us that politics is not about power but the primacy of the nation, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Friday (November 7, 2025).

Addressing the gathering in Ambala at a state-level celebration on the occasion of the national song’s 150th anniversary, Mr. Saini recalled the song’s history. Though composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875, the song became popular though the novel Anandamath, and was publicly recited by Rabindranath Tagore in 1896 in Kolkata. It was eventually adopted as the national song in 1950.

Claiming that no movement can succeed only through arms, Mr. Saini said it needed conviction, thought, emotion, and character. “Vande Mataram shattered the colonial mindset that glorified servitude and reminded Indians that they belonged to one of the world’s oldest civilizations — rich in culture, tradition, values, and unshakeable self-respect,” he said.

Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi lighting the traditional lamp to inaugurate the 150th anniversary of the National Song Vande Mataram, held in Haryana Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh on November 7, 2025.

Mr. Saini said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the past decade, has been using the slogan Vande Mataram to instill nationalism to the new generation. “As we mark 150 years of this immortal verse, we must remind future generations that no matter how far India advances, how fast technology evolves, or how vast globalization becomes — our soul, our identity, and our national axis will always remain rooted in the motherland,” he added.

The year-long commemoration of Vande Mataram to mark 150 years of the national song was officially inaugurated by Mr. Modi on Friday at the Indira Gandhi auditorium in New Delhi. He also released a commemorative stamp and coin to mark the occasion.