Vande Mataram the novel containing it was banned by the British government, but workers and general public defied the ban, many went to colonial prisons repeatedly for singing it, and the ban was overturned by the Indians after they gained independence from the colonial rule. In 1950 (after India's independence), the first two verses of the song were declared the "national song" of the Republic of India, distinct from the national anthem of India, "Jana Gana Mana". The first two verses of the song are an abstract reference to one's mother and motherland, they do not mention any Hindu deity by name,
I Exalt Thee GMA Dove Award for Inspirational Album of the Year. "I Exalt Thee" reached #15 on "Billboard"s Inspirational LPs. AllMusic gives the album 4.5 stars. The album includes three original songs by Driscoll, three standards, and three modern tracks from other songwriters. The title track, "I Exalt Thee", had been written by Pete Sanchez in 1975 and copyrighted in 1976. It was not, however, until Driscoll popularized it with this 1983 eponymous album, that the song and Sanchez gained national and international attention. The album was the first collaboration between Driscoll and producer, arranger, and songwriter Lari Goss, spawned by a