Vice President addresses inauguration of Permanent Exhibition on Journey of Vande Mataram and International Seminar on Sardar Patel's Vision of Integration, Unification and Federalism at IIAS, Shimla

📌 Summary:

• Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan virtually inaugurated a Permanent Exhibition on 'Journey of Vande Mataram' and a 3-day International Seminar on 'Sardar Patel's Vision: Integration, Unification and Federalism' organised by the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), Rashtrapati Niwas, Shimla

• Occasion marks twin milestones: 150th anniversary of the national song Vande Mataram and 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

• VP: Vande Mataram united people across regions, languages and faiths during the freedom movement, transforming love for the motherland into a sacred national duty; "innovations make a nation prosperous, but great nations are built on ideas"

• Cited Tamil Nadu freedom fighters inspired by Vande Mataram — V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, Tiruppur Kumaran, Vanchinathan and Mahakavi Subramania Bharati

• On Patel: he transformed hundreds of princely states into one united Republic — "united not only territories but also hearts", laying the foundation of one nation, one Constitution, one common destiny

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS1 Modern History (Vande Mataram, national movement, integration of princely states) + GS2 Polity (federalism, unity of India); useful quotes for Essay

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (part of the novel Anandamath); 2026 marks its 150th anniversary

• 2026 also marks the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, architect of integration of princely states

• IIAS is located at Rashtrapati Niwas (former Viceregal Lodge), Shimla

🔑 Key Term: Integration of Princely States — post-1947 process led by Sardar Patel and V.P. Menon merging 560+ princely states into the Indian Union