<span style="color: #222222;">Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today paid tributes to great nationalist and illustrious author Bankim Chandra Chatterjee on his birth anniversary today.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In a tweet, Mr Naidu said, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee composed the national song 'Vande Mataram' which personifies India as the Mother Goddess and became the mantra of India's struggle for Independence, inspiring countless freedom fighters. He said, Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was also an accomplished journalist who founded 'Ba?gadar?an', the epoch making newspaper.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Vice President said, We must ensure that the works of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee are read and explored extensively by the younger generation.</span><br />''