CS Atal Dulloo Reviews Preparations for 150 Years of Vande Mataram Commemoration Across J&K
SRINAGAR: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting of the Culture Department to review preparations for the commemoration of 150 Years of National Pride – Vande Mataram, the National Song of India. The celebrations will be observed across Jammu and Kashmir as part of the nationwide campaign launched by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
The meeting was attended by the Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education Department; Principal Secretary, Culture Department; Commissioner Secretary, Youth Services and Sports; Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir; Secretary, Education Department; and other senior officers. All Deputy Commissioners participated through video conferencing.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary emphasized the need to celebrate the occasion in a befitting and dignified manner that reflects India’s national spirit and cultural heritage. He directed all departments to ensure meticulous arrangements for the first phase of celebrations, beginning on 7th November 2025, and to maintain the same enthusiasm for subsequent phases throughout 2026.
Mr. Dulloo underscored the importance of large-scale public involvement, especially from students and youth, to foster patriotism and national unity. He instructed departments to launch extensive awareness drives to ensure mass participation and to appoint nodal officers for coordination, implementation, and timely reporting of activities through uploads of photos, videos, and reports on the national portal.
Presenting the national framework, Principal Secretary, Culture, Brij Mohan Sharma informed that the commemoration marks 150 years since Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay composed Vande Mataram on 7th November 1875, later featured in his iconic novel Anandamath (1882). The nationwide launch event will be held at Indira Gandhi Stadium, New Delhi, on 7th November 2025, featuring a simultaneous mass singing of Vande Mataram across all States and Union Territories, along with the release of a commemorative stamp, coin, and a documentary film.
A detailed action plan was also presented for Jammu and Kashmir, outlining a series of cultural and public events across all districts, tehsils, and educational institutions. District and tehsil-level celebrations will be held under the supervision of Deputy Commissioners, with year-long activities conducted in collaboration with Central Government departments.
It was informed that the Department of Culture will act as the Nodal Department, while the Secretary, J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) will serve as the UT Nodal Officer. Additional Deputy Commissioners will function as District Nodal Officers, Directors of Colleges and School Education (Jammu/Kashmir) as Education Nodal Officers, and the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) will manage publicity and media coverage.
The celebration will unfold in four phases over one year:
Phase I: 7th–14th November 2025
Phase II: 19th–26th January 2026 (around Republic Day)
Phase III: 7th–15th August 2026 (with Har Ghar Tiranga)
Phase IV: 1st–7th November 2026 (closing week)
The opening event will take place at the Convention Centre, Jammu, on 7th November 2025, organized by the Culture Department. District and tehsil programmes will include mass singing of Vande Mataram, special assemblies, exhibitions, essay and quiz competitions, debates, and cultural performances. Police and CAPF bands will perform patriotic tunes and renditions of Vande Mataram at prominent public locations. Cultural evenings, film screenings, and concerts showcasing national themes will also be organized.
The year-long campaign will continue through 2026 with a series of vibrant public initiatives — integrating Vande Mataram themes into Republic Day and Independence Day events, organizing youth marathons, torch relays, and plantation drives titled “Salute to Mother Earth.”
Extensive outreach will be undertaken through print, electronic, and social media platforms, along with exhibitions, murals, and cultural evenings celebrating India’s unity and pride. Additionally, “Vande Mataram Audio Booths” will be set up across the country under the PPP mode, enabling citizens to record and upload their renditions of Vande Mataram on the national campaign portal.
