Prints of old paintings by noted artist Tejendra Kumar Mitra, depicting the opening stanzas of Vande Mataram, lined the enclosures along Kartavya Path during the 77th Republic Day Parade. Written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in 1875, Vande Mataram later became a powerful slogan of India’s freedom movement and was adopted as the national song in 1950.
The sesquicentenary of Vande Mataram formed the central theme of this year’s parade, reflected in invitation cards, cultural performances, and band displays by the armed forces and CAPFs across the country. India showcased its cultural heritage, development journey and military strength at the parade, attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.
