The Akademies under the Ministry of Culture celebrated the 80th Independence Day with patriotic fervour through a wide range of cultural and participatory activities under the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign. Across the country, the celebrations included Tiranga rallies and yatras, flag-hoisting ceremonies, mass singing of Vande Mataram, patriotic theatre and musical performances, art and painting workshops, wall paintings, clay modelling, traditional crafts, exhibitions and student-centric activities. These initiatives brought together students, artists, cultural practitioners and citizens, showcasing India’s rich cultural diversity and spirit of unity in diversity, while fostering patriotism, national pride and collective participation and commemorating 150 years of Vande Mataram.

The National School of Drama (NSD) and its centres across the country engaged citizens and students through a range of programmes celebrating the spirit of Har Ghar Tiranga and the 80th Independence Day. NSD created awareness about the celebrations and the 150th year of Vande Mataram through its social media and other communication platforms, while sensitising citizens about the proper display of the National Flag and encouraging participation in the ‘Selfie with Tiranga’ initiative. More than 250 NSDians uploaded their selfies on the portal. NSD also conducted a mass singing of Vande Mataram at its campus and organised a rally of around 400 participants in the Mandi House area on 14 August. On 15 August, an interaction programme on patriotism for students was organised at the NSD Delhi campus.

Across its regional centres, NSD Bengaluru organised a bike rally and three plays on patriotism. The NSD TIE Centre, Tripura, conducted a procession promoting Har Ghar Tiranga, collaborated with the Lalit Kala Akademi on a Tiranga-themed wall-painting project and organised a cultural programme. The NSD Varanasi Centre organised a rally with Rang Sangeet and patriotic performances, while the NSD Sikkim Centre also conducted programmes to mark the occasion. In Srinagar, NSD’s first-year students joined Kashmiri artists at Lal Mandi on 14 August for Watan Ke Rang, Kashmir Ke Sang, featuring theatre, Kashmiri folk dances, Bhand Pather and Lal Ded Vak, opening with Vande Mataram and concluding with Jana Gana Mana.

The Sahitya Akademi participated in the nationwide celebrations through Tiranga Yatras, Tiranga Selfie activities, Tricolour illumination and decoration of its premises, and mass singing of Vande Mataram. It also observed Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas at Hansraj College, University of Delhi, with around 200 students participating. The programme recalled the suffering, displacement and human cost associated with Partition while encouraging young people to engage with this chapter of the nation’s history and reinforcing the values of peace, harmony, mutual respect and national unity. Through these activities, the Akademi highlighted the role of literature and cultural engagement in strengthening citizens’ connection with the nation.

The Sangeet Natak Akademi presented a five-segment thematic musical programme showcasing folk and traditional musical heritage from Chhattisgarh and Bastar, Maharashtra, Goa and Madhya Pradesh. The presentation opened with Mangal Dhun and moved through community celebration rhythms of Maharashtra, the festive traditions of Goa’s Konkan coast and indigenous musical traditions of Madhya Pradesh. It culminated in a finale bringing together musicians and instruments from all four regions, conveying the message of “Unity in Diversity”. The Akademi also arranged a traditional musical welcome for dignitaries featuring Tasha, Tutari, Dhol and Shank.

The Lalit Kala Akademi celebrated Independence Day through visual arts activities, rallies, workshops and public participation programmes across its headquarters and Regional Centres. At its headquarters in New Delhi, the Akademi, in association with the Sahitya Akademi and Sangeet Natak Akademi, organised the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ programme and flag hoisting at Rabindra Bhawan on 13 August 2026. The programme was followed by a Tiranga Rally in which more than 1,500 participants, including schoolchildren, working artists, art enthusiasts and local residents, participated.

Its Regional Centres also organised a range of activities. At Agartala, a student rally and wall-painting programme were organised at Nazrul Kala Kshetra, involving students and senior artists. At Shimla, a Tricolour Rally was organised on 13 August with students of PM Shri Kendriya Vidyalaya Jakhoo Hills and Jawaharlal Nehru Fine Arts College, Shimla, along with a painting workshop at the Lalit Kala Akademi Art Gallery, Gaiety Theatre.

The Regional Centre, Ahmedabad, organised a Tiranga Rally and Clay Modelling Workshop on 15 August under the theme “Viksit Bharat 2047 – Mitti Se Bharat”, with around 15 schoolchildren participating. At Kolkata, the Regional Centre organised the Har Ghar Tiranga programme, an art workshop and a sit-and-draw programme, with more than 1,000 school students and 300 working artists, college students and art enthusiasts participating, followed by a Tiranga Rally involving more than 1,500 participants. Flag-hoisting ceremonies were also held at both campuses on 15 August, with the buildings illuminated in Tricolour lights.

The Lucknow Regional Centre organised a Children’s Painting Workshop on 12 August, followed by a Tiranga Rally on 13 August in which approximately 1,500 people participated, as well as a patriotic cultural programme. A flag-hoisting ceremony was also held at the Centre on 15 August. The Chennai Regional Centre observed Independence Day with a flag-hoisting ceremony attended by staff members, artists and art lovers.

The Kalakshetra Foundation observed the Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign 2026 across its four units through educational, artistic and participatory activities. The campaign included pledges, Tricolour illumination, flag distribution, Tricolour-themed decoration and mass singing of Vande Mataram and the National Anthem by students and staff. Students participated in rangoli, art-from-waste, clay modelling, vegetable carving and salad-making using Tricolour themes, as well as presentations on Swachh Bharat and Viksit Bharat.

The Foundation also undertook traditional craft activities including Tricolour weaving, natural dyeing, Kalamkari work and making of flags and Tricolour-themed crafts. The celebrations featured a puppet show on unsung heroes, women warriors and freedom fighters, a fancy-dress competition on national leaders and freedom fighters, and rallies and public exhibitions, bringing together students, teachers, artists, craftspeople and members of the public. The campaign culminated in the 80th Independence Day celebrations on 15 August 2026.

Through the collective efforts of the Akademies, the celebrations brought the spirit of Har Ghar Tiranga into cultural spaces across the country. From theatre and music to painting, literature, traditional crafts and community participation, the programmes provided diverse platforms for citizens, particularly young people, to connect with the values of patriotism, national pride and cultural heritage. The celebrations also commemorated 150 years of Vande Mataram while showcasing the many artistic traditions that contribute to India’s cultural identity. Through these nationwide initiatives, the Akademies reaffirmed the message of unity in diversity and a shared commitment to the nation.

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M Annadurai

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