All educational institutions across Odisha are set to participate in a state-wide collective singing of Vande Maataram on January 12. The event is scheduled to coincide with National Youth Day and the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, according to an official announcement on Saturday.
In addition to the musical tribute, students will recite the “Atmanirbhar Bharat Swadeshi Sankalp” (Self-Reliant India Pledge). As part of the initiative, every institution will designate a student to serve as an “Atmanirbhar Bharat Ambassador.”
According to the statement issued by the Odia Language, Literature, and Culture Department, various competitions will be organised for students, and meritorious participants will be felicitated.
Youth clubs across the state will also participate in the collective singing programme, the statement said.
To ensure the program’s success, the department has directed district collectors for smooth implementation of the programme. A comprehensive training initiative is being organised to prepare participants to make the singing event smooth.
The state has been divided into five specific zones- Jeypore, Berhampur, Balasore, Sambalpur, and Bhubaneswar for conducting zonal-level training programmes.
Zonal training programmes were held at Berhampur, Balasore and Jeypore in December, while the Sambalpur zonal training was completed on January 2. The Bhubaneswar zonal training held at Utkal University concluded on Saturday, an official said.
Addressing the event at Utkal University, Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj highlighted the historical significance of the song, stating that Vande Maataram served as the primary voice of India’s freedom struggle and continues to foster national consciousness and courage among its citizens today.
