ITC Celebrates 150 Years of Vande Mataram with ‘Desh Ek Raag 3’

New Delhi, August 15, 2026: On the occasion of India’s 80th Independence Day, ITC Limited celebrated 150 years of Vande Mataram, India’s National Song, with a soulful tribute, rendered through a music video, ‘Desh Ek Raag 3’, created by the ITC Sangeet Research Academy (ITC SRA). The composition has been anchored in Raag ‘Desh’ and was brought alive by the Gurus, Scholars and tutors of ITC SRA alongside other musicians.

The production reflects ITC’s deep homage to a song that has remained one of India’s most enduring symbols of national awakening, pride and unity.In the run up to the Independence Day, ITC Chairman Mr. Sanjiv Puri shared the heartfelt creation through a post on LinkedIn. Mr. Puri is also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of ITCSRA.In his LinkedIn post, Mr. Puri mentioned, “On the eve of India’s 80th Independence Day, it gives me immense pleasure to present Desh Ek Raag 3, commemorating 150 years of Vande Mataram, our National Song, whose timeless message of devotion, unity and love for our motherland continues to inspire generations.

Specially conceived and performed for this momentous occasion by the Gurus, Musician Tutors and Shishyas of the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Desh Ek Raag 3 is ITC’s heartfelt tribute to our great nation and its rich cultural heritage. This exclusive rendition of Vande Mataram beautifully brings to life the vocal and instrumental traditions of our nation that ITC SRA has nurtured and preserved for nearly five decades.”

The third edition of the Desh Ek Raag series also marks ITCSRA’s journey towards its Golden Jubilee in 2027.At the heart of the presentation is the Academy’s timeless Guru-Shishya Parampara, with Gurus and Scholars coming together to present Vande Mataram through the spirit of Hindustani classical music. Their collective performance reflects a living tradition in which musical knowledge, discipline and artistic sensibility are passed across generations of Gurus and Scholars.

Presented by ITC SRA as a collective homage to the nation, the musical tribute features a distinguished ensemble of Gurus, including Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar, Pandit Partha Chatterjee, Vidushi Subhra Guha, Pandit Uday Bhawalkar, Shri Omkar Dadarkar, Shri Abir Hossain and Shri Brajeswar Mukherjee. Nearly 70 participants across generations have lent their voices and talent to the presentation, from 11-year-old Scholar Baibhab Mukhopadhyay to celebrated classical maestro Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, the first student of ITC SRA and now a Guru of the academy.The special rendition has been created by ITC SRA Guru Shri Abir Hossain and recorded at the Academy’s state-of-the-art studio. The music video has been directed by Pritha Chakraborty, an independent filmmaker and creative producer based in Kolkata.