Nagpur: This Independence Day, Nagpur will follow Delhi where all six stanzas of Vande Mataram will be sung at Red Fort for the first time.“Vande Mataram has been sung during Maharashtra Day celebrations on May 1 as well. As far as Independence Day is concerned, this is probably the first time it will be sung as part of the official August 15 ceremony,” senior administration officials told TOI.As per the sequence laid down by Maharashtra govt for official Independence Day ceremonies across the state, Vande Mataram will be sung or played during the programme, followed by the national anthem and then the state song.In Nagpur, the divisional-level flag-hoisting ceremony will be held under the Divisional Commissionerate in the presence of guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Govt has fixed 9.05am as the time for the main flag-hoisting ceremony across Maharashtra.On Thursday, around 5,000 students from Nagpur Municipal Corporation schools sang Vande Mataram in unison at Chitnis Park, marking 150 years of the national song as well as NMC’s 75th year. Mayor Neeta Thakre and municipal commissioner Dr Vipin G attended the programme, where speakers highlighted the historical significance of Vande Mataram and its association with the freedom movement.Education committee chairperson Santosh Devi Deepak Laddha said the initiative was aimed at connecting students not only with the country’s history but also with values of patriotism, responsibility and citizenship.The city has begun settling into the Independence Day mood. Schools and colleges are holding rehearsals while govt offices, institutions and private establishments are preparing for flag-hoisting ceremonies. Stalls and shops are stocked with national flags, ribbons, wristbands, caps, badges and other accessories. Vendors say Vande Mataram badges and lapel pins have emerged as a visible pick this season, with similar products also being sold across e-commerce platforms.Activities like plantation, debates, quizzes, patriotic essay and poetry competitions and illumination of public buildings will be part of the celebrations.
