The Ministry of Culture commemorated the 150th anniversary of the National Song Vande Mataram with a grand event at Rajgurunagar, Pune (Maharashtra), the birthplace of freedom fighter Shivaram Rajguru, who was martyred alongside Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev Thapar on 23 March 1931.
The programme was attended by several dignitaries, including Hon’ble Minister of Cultural Affairs & IT, Govt. of Maharashtra, Shri (Adv.) Ashish Shelar; Member of Legislative Assembly, Shri Babaji Kale; Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Shri Vivek Aggarwal; Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Shri Samar Nanda; and Secretary, Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra, Shri Kiran Kulkarni.
Hon’ble Minister of Culture and Tourism, Govt. of India, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in his video message, highlighted the sacrifices of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev as enduring symbols of India’s voice and spirit.
In his keynote address, Shri Ashish Shelar underlined the significance of Rajguru’s contribution and observed that Vande Mataram served as a powerful expression of resistance against colonial rule.
Shri Vivek Aggarwal, in his address, mentioned that Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had launched nationwide cultural programmes on 7 November 2025 to mark 150 years of Vande Mataram. He encouraged citizens to actively participate in the campaign aimed at fostering national unity, patriotism and a deeper connect with the song that inspired the freedom movement.
Major highlights of the programme included a cultural presentation titled ‘Desh Swaranjali: Vande Mataram’. The musical tribute, performed by 20 young artists of the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT), received wide appreciation by the audience.
On the occasion, ‘Vande Mataram Frames’, a national filmmaking competition to encourage creative storytelling, was also launched. The competition is open to participants aged 15 years and above under three categories: Reels, AI Film and Short Story by Professionals. Details regarding submission criteria and participation are available at vandemataram150.in.
An exhibition titled ‘Echoes of Freedom’ was also showcased at the venue, highlighting the contributions of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru to India’s freedom struggle. The exhibition also depicted key moments from the independence movement, emphasising the role of freedom fighters who embodied the spirit of Vande Mataram.
The event formed part of a special phase of the year-long commemoration of Vande Mataram, being observed from 23 to 30 March 2026. During the first and second phases of the campaign, total registered participation exceeded 9 crore. Citizens are being encouraged to participate in the nationwide initiative by singing along with the song or uploading selfies on the official portal vandemataram150.in.
