Will the Next Generation Still Feel Vande Mataram?

As Parliament revisits the legacy of Vande Mataram, Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty’s emotional appeal has opened up a larger question — will the next generation feel the same pride and connection to the national song as earlier generations did?

Speaking to IANS, Murty remembered how the song shaped her childhood, calling it “deeply patriotic and closely connected with India’s freedom struggle.” Her hope is simple yet powerful: that tomorrow’s India still feels that spark. But it also raises a quiet concern — are we, the current generation, doing enough to pass on that emotion?

Inside the House, Murty urged the government to include Vande Mataram in school curricula, stressing that children must learn not just the national anthem but also the national song that once united Indians across regions and religions. She described India as “a quilt of many colours,” held together by the spirit of Vande Mataram.

Murty reminded the nation that the song was not just poetry, but a force that inspired courage during colonial rule. “We did not get our freedom on a silver plate. People sacrificed,” she said — a reminder that understanding the struggle is essential to valuing the freedom we enjoy today.

As the country marks 150 years of Vande Mataram, the debate around it has once again turned political. Yet Murty’s message cuts through the noise: patriotism isn’t inherited — it is taught, lived, and demonstrated.

The question she leaves behind is not for children, but for adults: Are we keeping the spirit of Vande Mataram alive, or merely remembering it? Because if the next generation must feel patriotic pride, the responsibility lies with today’s India — to teach, to inspire, and to lead by example.