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In a historic first, the national song 'Vande Mataram' will be sung during the Independence Day celebrations at the iconic Red Fort on August 15, and the event's theme will be the contributions of youth power toward making India a developed nation by 2047, the government announced on Monday.
Defence Secretary R K Singh, addressing a press conference, said the plan to celebrate the success and contribution of youths during the event "predates" the students' protest at the Jantar Mantar.
"Youths are a critical part of our journey towards Viksit Bharat because they will both be contributing to it and will be hopefully gaining from it. That is the only reason," he said.
"The plan to celebrate the success and contribution of youth at the Independence Day celebrations predates any other event," Singh said.
"I can assure you that this planning predates the Jantar Mantar agitation," he added.
India will mark its 80th Independence Day on August 15, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the celebrations from the Red Fort in Delhi.
Singh stated that as 2026 marks 150 years of 'Vande Mataram', the national song that inspired millions during the freedom struggle, will be sung from the ramparts of the Red Fort for the first time as a tribute to its enduring legacy.
