Vande Mataram Continues to Inspire National Consciousness: Culture Minister Shri Suryabanshi Suraj
To mark the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, all educational institutions across Odisha will observe a statewide programme of collective singing of Vande Maataram on 12th January, coinciding with Swami Vivekananda Jayanti and National Youth Day.
On the occasion, students will collectively sing Vande Mataram and recite the “Atmanirbhar Bharat Swadeshi Sankalp”. Each institution will also nominate one student as an “Atmanirbhar Bharat Ambassador”. Various competitions will be organised for students and meritorious participants will be felicitated. Youth clubs across the state will also participate in the collective singing programme.
The Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department has given instructions to all district collectors for smooth implementation of the programme. As part of the preparations, a statewide Vande Mataram Training Programme is being organised. The state has been divided into five zones—Jeypore, Berhampur, Balasore, Sambalpur and Bhubaneswar—for conducting zonal-level training programmes.
Zonal training programmes were held at Berhampur, Balasore and Jeypore on 23rd, 30th & 31st December, 2025, respectively. The Sambalpur zonal training was completed on 2nd January, 2026, while the Bhubaneswar zonal training concluded on 3rd January, 2026.
Three teachers from each block, municipal corporation, NAC (Two teachers from school level and one from college or university level) nominated by the respective district collectors, participated in the zonal-level training programmes. These trained participants will further impart training at the Vande Maataram training programmes which is going to be organised at block, municipal corporation, and NAC levels. The Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department has directed that all block/ Municipal Corporation/NAC level Vande Mataram training programmes to be completed by 10th January, 2026.
Addressing the Bhubaneswar zonal-level training programme held at Utkal University today, Culture Minister Shri Suryabanshi Suraj said that Vande Mataram became the voice of India’s freedom movement and continues to inspire national consciousness and patriotic fervour. He said the song instils courage and strength among citizens.
Ekamra MLA Shri Babu Singh, Secretary, Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department Dr. Bijay Ketan Upadhyay, Khordha Collector Shri Amrit Ruturaj, Additional District Magistrate Shri Pratap Chandra Beura, Secretary, Odisha Sahitya Akademi, Dr. Chandrasekhar Hota, Vice-Chancellor of Utkal University Prof. Yajneswar Dandapat, noted social worker Shri Jagadish Prasad Khadanga, noted musicians Shri Rajanikanta Mahapatra and Shri Yamini Kanta Mishra, Shri Niranjan Panda and Shri Deepak Raut were present in today’s zonal level training program.
