Vande Mataram should be sung in its entirety across the country: K. Annamalai

The national song Vande Mataram, a dedication to the motherland, should be sung in its entirety across the country to elevate its standing, as has been the effort of the Union Government, on the 150^th anniversary of the poem, former BJP State president K. Annamalai said on Friday.

Addressing students, faculty, and staff of SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST) at an event organised by Tamil Perayam, he read out the later stanzas of the poem and a Tamil translation of them. He said that the poet Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay had, in the later stanzas, evoked the Bengali deity Durga, thereby merging Hinduism and nationalism. After independence, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru did not agree to adopt the entire song as it could ‘irritate’ members of the Muslim or Christian community, he added. On its 150^th anniversary, it would be fitting to sing the song in its entirety and elevate its standing.

T.R. Paarivendhar, founder and chancellor, SRM Group of Institutions, said that Tamil Perayam, an organisation floated by the SRM group to promote Tamil language, had been instrumental in its efforts to open Tamil Chairs in several higher education institutions in India and abroad. He also announced the launch of Dr. T.R. Paarivendhar Tamil Foundation with a contribution of ₹10 lakhs as seed fund.

Karu. Nagarajan, Head, Tamil Perayam, and R. Arunachalam, Estate Officer, Directorate of Campus Administration, SRMIST, spoke.