Historic! Vande Mataram Plays At Red Fort For 1st Time During Independence Day Celebrations | Watch

Livemint

Published15 Aug 2026, 09:59 AM IST

For the first time after Independence, the National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ was rendered in full at the Red Fort on India’s 80th Independence Day. It was followed by the National Anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’. This year also marks 150 years of Vande Mataram. As PM Modi hoisted the Tricolour, it was synchronised with a 21-gun salute by the 1721 Field Battery using indigenous 105 mm Light Field Guns. The Army band then played Vande Mataram while two IAF Mi-17 helicopters showered flower petals—one carrying the National Flag and the other a ‘Vande Mataram’ flag. The full version recently received the same legal protection as the National Anthem.