Srinagar: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, Wednesday chaired a meeting of the Culture Department for the commemoration of 150 Years of National Pride – Vande Mataram, the National Song of India, being celebrated across Jammu and Kashmir as part of the nationwide campaign led by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education Department; Principal Secretary, Culture Department; Commissioner Secretary, Youth Services & 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 importance of organizing the celebration in a befitting manner to reflect the national spirit and cultural pride associated with Vande Mataram. He directed all departments to ensure meticulous preparations for the smooth conduct of the first phase of celebrations commencing on 7th November 2025, and to lay equal emphasis on subsequent phases extending through 2026.
The Chief Secretary underlined the need for large-scale public participation, especially from students and youth, to instill a deep sense of patriotism and national pride. He also instructed departments to undertake wide-ranging awareness campaigns to ensure mass participation and to designate nodal officers for effective coordination, implementation, and timely uploading of reports, photographs, and videos on the national portal.
Presenting the national framework, Principal Secretary, Culture, Brij Mohan Sharma, informed the meeting that the commemoration marks 150 years since the composition of Vande Mataram by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay on 7th November 1875, later published in his celebrated novel Anandamath in 1882.
He added that the nationwide programme will be inaugurated at Indira Gandhi Stadium, New Delhi, on 7th November 2025, featuring simultaneous mass singing of Vande Mataram across all States and Union Territories, along with the release of a commemorative stamp, coin, and a film on Vande Mataram.
A detailed action plan was presented for Jammu and Kashmir, outlining a series of activities and events to be held across all districts, tehsils, educational institutions, and public spaces. It was divulged that large-scale celebrations will commence on 7th November 2025, covering schools, colleges, and public institutions throughout the UT. District and tehsil-level programmes will be conducted under the supervision of Deputy Commissioners, while year-long activities will be organized in collaboration with Central Government departments.
Moreover the meeting was apprised that the Department of Culture will serve as the nodal department, with the Secretary, J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) acting as the J&K 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 handle publicity and media outreach.
Elaborating further it was given out that the celebrations will unfold in four distinct phases over one year. Phase I from 7th to 14th November 2025; Phase II from 19th to 26th January 2026 (around Republic Day); Phase III from 7th to 15th August 2026 (along with Har Ghar Tiranga); and Phase IV from 1st to 7th November 2026, marking the closing week.
The opening phase, was said to feature a grand celebration at the Convention Centre, Jammu, on 7th November 2025, organized by the Department of Culture. District and tehsil-level events will include mass singing, special assemblies, exhibitions, essay and quiz competitions, debates, and cultural programmes in schools, colleges, and public venues. Police and CAPF bands were also said to perform patriotic music and Vande Mataram renditions at public places. Screenings, concerts, and cultural evenings showcasing patriotic themes will also be held, while all nodal officers will document and upload photographs and videos of activities on the official campaign portal.
The campaign is going to continue through 2026 with a vibrant series of cultural and public initiatives. These include incorporating Vande Mataram themes in Republic Day and Independence Day events, organizing torch relays and youth marathons across districts, and conducting plantation drives titled Salute to Mother Earth.
Extensive publicity campaigns will be carried out too through print, electronic, and social media, complemented by cultural evenings, exhibitions, and murals celebrating national unity. Additionally, “Vande Mataram Audio Booths” will be established under PPP mode to enable citizens to record and upload their renditions of Vande Mataram to the campaign portal all over the country.
