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,
John Vande Velde other Olympians involved in promoting some of the largest cycling events in the United States. He and his family constructed a portable wooden velodrome, the Vandedrome, which was used to promote a number of races including in Detroit and Las Angeles. John is the father of three successful athletes, including Christian Vande Velde. John Vande Velde John Vande Velde (born December 27, 1948) is an American track cyclist who competed on velodromes around the world, winning three national championships (4,000 meter Individual Pursuit, 1968-1972), and he competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics and the 1972 Summer Olympics.. He was a