The Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department has mandated a joint rendition of “Vande Mataram” in all educational institutions in Odisha, including schools, colleges, and universities, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the national song on National Youth Day, January 12. Schools under the state Skill Development & Technical Education Department are also required to partake in the collective singing of “Vande Mataram” and other related activities, along with pledging for “Atmanirbhar Bharat Swadeshi Sankalp”.
The institutions have been instructed to document the event through photography and videography and to organize various competitions among students. Letters have been issued by the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department to the School and Mass Education Department, the Skill Development & Technical Education Department, and the Higher Education Department.
A state-wide “Vande Mataram Training Programme” was conducted earlier to facilitate the collective singing in educational institutions. The state was divided into five zones for this purpose: Jeypore Zone, Brahmapur Zone, Balasore Zone, Sambalpur Zone, and Bhubaneswar Zone. Zonal-level “Vande Mataram” training programs were carried out under this initiative.
Training programs were also held at district, municipal, and block levels to ensure broad participation across the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated year-long celebrations on November 7, 2025, to mark 150 years of “Vande Mataram”, a national song composed by Bankimchandra Chatterji in 1875.
