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Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875 in Sanskritized Bengali, embodies India's spirit of freedom, unity, and cultural pride. It is not just a national song but also an emotional tribute to the motherland, which continues to inspire generations. As India celebrates its 77th Republic Day on Monday, Usha Rani Damerla and Vinay Verma released their latest rendition of 'Vande Mataram'.
The creators said the rendition holds deep personal and national significance. "We have come up with the rendition of Vande Mataram, our national song, which is very, very special for the entire nation and even more special to us," Usha told ANI, adding that this is the third song released by them, following two earlier releases already available on YouTube. The audio recordings, shoots and post-production of the project took more than six months. "It's more than like six to seven months for the audio recordings and the shoots and everything," Vinay added. Highlighting the project's collaborative nature, the duo said artists from diverse musical backgrounds were involved. "We have recorded with very amazing talent, starting from big classical artists to upcoming very young artists, technicians also. We are very lucky that so many artists have collaborated on this," Damerla noted. The project saw recordings across multiple locations, including Mumbai, Chennai and Budapest, blending folk, orchestral and classical elements. "I am from Rajasthan, so we made music like the folk music of Rajasthan and orchestration, and so many things we tried," Vinay said, adding that the central idea was global collaboration through music. Emphasising the role of art beyond borders, the directors said music acts as soft power. "Music has no boundaries. Music, cinema, this is all soft power," they said, adding that collaboration was always driven by love for art, not background or identity. The duo said the project was never aimed at commercial gain. "We don't want to earn anything. The idea was very clear, we have to send something to this world.. So Vande Matram we started with a very small budget," Vinay said, adding that a lullaby project is also in the pipeline. Appealing to listeners, the creators said, "Please listen to the song and keep your blessings. It belongs to everybody. There is no judgement in this song. You just have to feel it," expressing hope that the rendition would one day be played in stadiums during India's sporting triumphs. Extending Republic Day wishes, Usha said, "This is a very, very small attempt. It's our national song, very, very dear to all of us. Making this has been extremely emotional for both of us. Vande Mataram. Jai Hind." The Republic Day Celebrations 2026 at Kartavya Path on Monday is set to be a grand affair, marking 150 years of the iconic national song 'Vande Mataram'. The event will showcase India's military prowess and rich cultural heritage, featuring 30 tableaux from states, Union Territories, and ministries. The day highlights India's defence capabilities and honours citizens, including children, for acts of bravery. The Government of India launched the Vande Mataram 150 portal for citizens to record their own renditions and download commemorative certificates. (ANI)
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