Divya Delhi : On the historic occasion marking 150 years of Vande Mataram, Vidya Bharati Delhi Province organised a grand programme at Saraswati Bal Mandir Senior Secondary School, Rajouri Garden, under its nationwide campaign ‘Namami Bharatam – Ek Samay, Ek Lay, Ek Swar’ (One Time, One Rhythm, One Voice). The school organised programmes at 16 different locations across Delhi, witnessing the participation of around 4,000 people. The objective of the initiative was to commemorate the glorious 150-year journey of Vande Mataram and connect students, parents, teachers and people from different sections of society with the message of national unity and respect for India’s cultural heritage through collective singing. The programme was attended by Shri Shashikant Sharma, DDE West-A, as the Chief Guest; Dr Satish Maheshwari, General Secretary, Vidya Bharati Delhi Province, as the Chief Speaker; and Smt Geeta Ahuja, President, Western Department, as the Chairperson. Shri V.K. Gupta, Minister, Western Department, was also present on the occasion. The successful organisation of the programme was supported by the guidance and cooperation of Shri Sunil Anand, Chairman of the school; Shri Dinesh Aggarwal, Manager; and Shri Binod Chaudhary, Principal. Several other dignitaries also participated, including Shri Kuldeep Chauhan, former Acharya Parishad Coordinator and former Principal, MCL Hari Nagar; Smt Parvinder Saluja, former Acharya and Management Committee Member; Shri Pawan, Vidyarthi Parishad member; and Shri Mukesh Mittal, among others. Addressing the gathering, Chief Speaker Dr Satish Maheshwari highlighted the history and national significance of Vande Mataram and its role in India’s freedom movement. He said that Vande Mataram is an important song deeply associated with India’s cultural heritage and national consciousness. During the programme, students, teachers, parents and citizens at various locations came together to sing Vande Mataram collectively. As part of the campaign, programmes were organised at 16 locations, including Saraswati Bal Mandir, Rajouri Garden; Sant Haridas Public School, Jai Vihar, Najafgarh; Mukundlal Katyal School, Tilak Nagar; Cambridge Foundation School, Rajouri Garden; Shadley Public School, Rajouri Garden; Vishwagiri Temple, Raghubir Nagar; Motinath Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, Ramesh Nagar; B-6, Sector-7, Rohini; MCD Park, J-8 Block, Rajouri Garden; Bhardwaj Model School, Shyam Nagar; Narendra Memorial Trust, Shyam Nagar; Columbia Foundation Senior Secondary School, Vikaspuri; Maika Sweet Home Orphanage, Najafgarh; Gyan Mandir Vidyalaya, Naraina; Seva Bharti Trust, Raghubir Nagar; and Barmer Highway. The historic event also received extensive media coverage. Representatives from Hindustan Times and other media organisations covered the activities, while special interviews were conducted with Dr Satish Maheshwari, Shri Shashikant Sharma and Smt Geeta Ahuja. With the participation of nearly 4,000 people, the event proved to be a significant occasion for Saraswati Bal Mandir Senior Secondary School, Rajouri Garden. The programme concluded with the collective chanting of ‘Vande Mataram’, reinforcing the message of ‘Ek Samay • Ek Lay • Ek Swar’ — One Time • One Rhythm • One Voice.
