Now Reading: Vande Mataram to be performed at Red Fort for first time on I-Day
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Vande Mataram to be performed at Red Fort for first time on I-Day
The national song 'Vande Mataram' will be performed at the Red Fort during this year's Independence Day celebrations on August 15, marking the first time it is included in the ceremony. Defence…
The Story in Brief
The national song 'Vande Mataram' will be performed at the Red Fort during this year's Independence Day celebrations on August 15, marking the first time it is included in the ceremony. Defence Secretary R K Singh said the decision marks 150 years of the song, which inspired Indians during the freedom movement. An Indian Air Force helicopter will fly over with a banner commemorating the anniversary.
The celebrations will centre on 'Yuva Shakti' (youth power) and India's goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. The government said the youth theme was planned before the recent student agitation at Jantar Mantar. Nineteen Indian students who won medals at international Olympiads have been invited. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has also been invited.
The Indian Opinion
Some will applaud the first Vande Mataram rendition as a long-overdue tribute; others may see it as a government attempt to co-opt a national symbol. The youth theme, too, invites scepticism given the recent Jantar Mantar protests. The real test will be whether these gestures translate into concrete policies for young Indians, or remain a day of choreographed patriotism.
Sources (2): livemint.com, ndtv.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
