DU inaugurates Vande Mataram Hall to mark 150 years of iconic song

The hall hosted DU convocations from 1948 to 2005 and has now been restored along with Shankar Lal and Tagore halls.

The Delhi University Vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh on Tuesday inaugurated Vande Mataram Hall at the Faculty of Arts to commemorate 150 years of the song. Addressing the gathering of students and teachers, Singh said the history of the convocation hall which is now renamed as Vande Mataram will be as significant as the overall history of the university.

Convocation hall renovated at a cost of ₹5 crore, now seats about 680 people and is equipped with modern facilities, the VC said. (Courtesy: KP Singh/X)

“From 1948 to 2005, many convocations were held in this hall, and many Dignitaries, including the President of India, have graced this hall with their presence. Whenever the history of DU is written, the history of this hall will also be included,” the vice-chancellor said.

Reflecting at the time when he had first visited the convocation hall as DU VC in 2021, Singh said the hall was in a deplorable condition. With an investment worth ₹5 crores, the hall has been fully renovated with a seating capacity of around 680 people and equipped with modern facilities, he added.

“I assumed office at University of Delhi in 2021, had visited the Shankar Lal Hall, Tagore Hall, and the Convocation Hall. These halls were in a dilapidated condition. We decided to renovate them. After the renovation of Shankar Lal Hall and Tagore Hall were completed, they were inaugurated, and with the inauguration of this hall today, all these halls are now equipped with modern facilities,” said Singh.