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,
Of Thee I Sing in 1972 by CBS, mostly starring actors then appearing in CBS series, including Carroll O'Connor as President Wintergreen. A National Radio Theater version starring John Cullum was broadcast by NPR in 1984 and the BBC in 1984 and 1992. In the 1930s, the Marx Brothers had intended to produce a film adaptation of the musical, but they decided to make "Duck Soup" instead. Many scholars draw parallels between "Of Thee I Sing" and "Duck Soup", even going so far as to suggest that the musical helped provide inspiration for that Marx Brothers classic. A musical sequel to "Of Thee I