Vande Mataram to be sung from Red Fort for first time; Gen Z to get greater representation

Published 10 August 2026 · local

song Vande Mataram will be sung from the ramparts of the Red Fort for the first time as Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives for the

song Vande Mataram will be sung from the ramparts of the Red Fort for the first time as Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives for the 80th Independence Day celebrations on August 15, while young students and members of Gen Z will get greater representation at the ceremony, with student achievers to be seated on the ramparts. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Monday (August 10, 2026) said that the move assumes significance as 2026 marks 150 years of the national song, which played a prominent role in mobilising people during the freedom struggle. The song will be rendered upon the Prime Minister’s arrival, after which he will unfurl the national flag and deliver his customary address to the nation. ‘Yuva Shakti’ The celebrations will have a pronounced focus on ‘Yuva Shakti’, with the contribution of young Indians to the government’s vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat by 2047’ being highlighted.

As part of the 150-year commemoration of Vande Mataram, 2,500 NCC cadets and MY Bharat volunteers will form the words ‘Vande Mataram’ on Gyanpath opposite the Red Fort ramparts. An Indian Air Force Mi-17 helicopter will fly over the venue carrying a banner marking 150 years of the national song and shower flower petals over the gathering, he added. The Defence Secretary said the youth-centric theme will also be reflected in the participation of 19 Indian medal winners from the International Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematical Olympiads 2026. They will be seated on the ramparts during the ceremony. Around 5,000 special guests have been invited, including young innovators, entrepreneurs, startup founders, skilled workers, farmers, artisans, sanitation workers and beneficiaries of various government schemes. More than 1,500 Delhi-based guests from different States and Union Territories, dressed in traditional attire, will showcase the country’s cultural diversity.

Around 600 winners of quizzes and competitions organised by the Defence Ministry in collaboration with MyGov will also attend the celebrations. The competitions included themes such as Artificial Intelligence and Viksit Bharat, India’s technological and space achievements, nuclear technology and the freedom movement. For visitors, 25 cloak rooms at six locations, 200 volunteers and 20 wheelchairs have been arranged. Metro services will begin at 4 a.m. on August 15, with free travel for invitees using QR codes issued with their e-invitations. Seating enclosures The seating enclosures at the Red Fort have been named after major lakes of India, following the river-themed enclosures used during Republic Day this year. The initiative is intended to underscore water conservation while moving away from VIP-centric nomenclature. In view of the possibility of rain, drainage and sewage systems around the Red Fort are being cleaned.