National Theatre Festival Marks 150 Years of Vande Mataram with Performances Across India
SRI VIJAYA PURAM, July 16: The Sangeet Natak Akademi organised the National Theatre Festival 2026 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the national song Vande Mataram and Kalidasa Jayanti , bringing together young theatre artists from across the country in a celebration of India's cultural heritage and performing arts. According to the organisers, the festival was held simultaneously at nearly 150 venues across all 28 States and 8 Union Territories. More than 4,000 young artists reportedly participated in over 150 theatrical productions presented in more than 39 languages and dialects, showcasing India's diverse theatrical traditions through folk theatre , puppet theatre and contemporary dramatic performances. In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands , the festival was organised in collaboration with the Department of Education. Government schools in Sri Vijaya Puram, including Government Secondary School Junglighat , Government Model Senior Secondary School and Government Gi...