In a first since Independence, the National Song "Vande Mataram" was played in full during the 80th Independence Day celebrations led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Red Fort in New Delhi on Saturday. The rendition was followed by the customary playing of "Jana Gana Mana", India's National Anthem. The special ceremony came as the country marked 150 years of "Vande Mataram", giving the song a prominent place in this year's national celebrations.
The historic sequence unfolded after Prime Minister Modi hoisted the national flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort. The flag-hoisting ceremony was synchronised with a 21-gun salute by the 1721 Field Battery (Ceremonial), using indigenously developed 105 mm Light Field Guns. The ceremonial proceedings were followed by the Army band playing "Vande Mataram" in full, marking a significant departure from previous Independence Day ceremonies at the Red Fort.
Two Mi-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force also participated in the ceremony, showering flower petals over the venue. One of the helicopters carried the National Flag, while the other carried a flag featuring "Vande Mataram". The aerial display formed part of the ceremonial programme as the national celebrations unfolded at the historic monument in the presence of dignitaries and invited guests.
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Addressing the nation after the ceremony, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the significance of the development. "It is for the first time after Independence that 'Vande Mataram' was played at the Red Fort," he said. The Prime Minister's remarks drew attention to the historical significance attached to the song, particularly in a year when the country is commemorating 150 years of its legacy.
The development follows a recent decision to accord the full version of "Vande Mataram" the same legal protection as the National Anthem. The National Song was also played ahead of and at the conclusion of President Droupadi Murmu's address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day on Friday. The move has placed renewed focus on the historical and ceremonial role of "Vande Mataram" alongside "Jana Gana Mana".
Written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, "Vande Mataram" became closely associated with India's freedom movement and emerged as an important symbol of national sentiment during the struggle against British rule. Its inclusion in the Red Fort ceremony, alongside the flag-hoisting, gun salute and National Anthem, connected this year's Independence Day celebrations with the song's long historical association with India's national movement.
The full rendition at the Red Fort was therefore one of the defining moments of the 80th Independence Day ceremony. With the country marking 150 years of "Vande Mataram", the first playing of the song in full at the iconic venue since Independence gave the occasion additional historical significance. The ceremony combined established national traditions with a special commemoration of the National Song's enduring place in India's public and cultural life.
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