CM Rekha Gupta attends Vande Mataram 150th anniversary fest
Synopsis
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta attended a national cultural festival at Bharat Mandapam on 25 October 2026 celebrating 150 years of Vande Mataram and the 10th anniversary of the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Foundation, linking cultural heritage to the Viksit Bharat vision.
Key Takeaways
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta participated in a national cultural festival at Bharat Mandapam , New Delhi on 25 October 2026 .
The event marked 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram , composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the late 19th century.
The festival also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Foundation , honouring the 16th-century founder of Bengaluru.
Senior religious figures including Sri Sri Nirmalanandanatha Mahaswami and MLA Anil Sharma were among the dignitaries present.
CM Gupta connected the celebrations to the Viksit Bharat vision — India's development roadmap for 2047 — framing cultural heritage as a driver of national progress.
A century and a half of Vande Mataram — and a decade of honouring the man who built Bengaluru — converged under one roof at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Sunday, 25 October 2026. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was among the dignitaries who gathered at the national cultural festival marking both milestones, calling the occasion a 'beautiful confluence of patriotism and the tradition of public welfare.'
Posting on X, CM Gupta described Vande Mataram as 'rashtriya chetna, swabhiman aur ekta ka amar swar' — 'the immortal voice of our national consciousness, self-respect, and unity' — while saluting the durable inspiration of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, the 16th-century visionary behind Bengaluru's founding, whose foundation recently marked 10 years of work in governance and community service.
Vande Mataram at 150: from freedom cry to national touchstone
Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the late 19th century and became one of the most galvanising anthems of India's independence movement. Its first two stanzas were adopted as the national song, carrying constitutional weight alongside the national anthem. Celebrating 150 years of the composition frames it not merely as a historical artefact but as a living thread in India's civic identity — exactly the narrative this festival was designed to reinforce.
Kempegowda's 10-year foundation and the Bengaluru connection
Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, the 16th-century chieftain credited with laying out Bengaluru's early urban grid and public infrastructure, has seen a significant revival of cultural prominence in recent years. The Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Foundation, marking its 10th anniversary at this event, has worked to translate his legacy of governance and welfare into contemporary civic discourse. CM Gupta underlined that his 'far-sighted leadership and dedication to public welfare remain a source of inspiration for all of us.'
Bharat Mandapam, the dignitaries, and the Viksit Bharat thread
The festival at Bharat Mandapam — New Delhi's premier convention and cultural venue — drew a roster of religious and political figures. MLA Anil Sharma, Sri Sri Nirmalanandanatha Mahaswami, Sri Sri Dr. Nanjawadhuta Swami, Sri Sri Nishchalanandanatha Swami, and Sri Sri Vasumurthi Madar Chennaiah Swami were among those present, lending the gathering a cross-regional, multi-tradition character.
CM Gupta explicitly linked the evening to the Viksit Bharat vision — the government's framework for a developed India by 2047 — arguing that rooting national progress in cultural heritage and historical governance traditions is the path forward. The event, she said, 'connects us to our glorious heritage while inspiring the building of a developed India.'
When a 150-year-old song and a 500-year-old city-builder share the same stage, the message is deliberate: the roots of modern India's ambitions run very deep.
Point of View
The BJP-aligned platform bridges north and south Indian cultural touchstones — a politically significant gesture. Linking the occasion explicitly to Viksit Bharat 2047 signals that cultural commemoration is increasingly being woven into the ruling party's long-term nation-building messaging. Events of this kind also serve to position BJP leaders as custodians of pan-Indian historical identity ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.
NationPress
26 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Vande Mataram and why is its 150th anniversary significant?
Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the late 19th century and became a rallying anthem of India's independence movement. Its 150th anniversary marks a century and a half of its role as a symbol of national consciousness and unity.
Who is Nadaprabhu Kempegowda?
Nadaprabhu Kempegowda was a 16th-century chieftain credited with founding Bengaluru and implementing early urban planning and public welfare measures, making him a revered figure in Karnataka's history.
What is the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Foundation?
The Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Foundation is an organisation established to commemorate Kempegowda's legacy through work on governance principles and community initiatives; it marked its 10th anniversary at this festival.
Where was the national cultural festival held?
The festival was held at Bharat Mandapam, a major convention and cultural venue in New Delhi, on 25 October 2026.
What is the Viksit Bharat vision that CM Gupta referenced?
Viksit Bharat is the Indian government's development vision targeting a fully developed India by 2047, which explicitly links cultural heritage and historical governance traditions to the country's modern progress goals.
