The Untold Journey of India’s National Anthem: From Tagore’s Pen to Republic Day

Singapore, 1943 – The Second World War was at its peak.

Japanese forces had ousted the British from Singapore, and in the heart of the city stood a revolutionary Indian army—the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) under the leadership of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. This army had declared war against the British Raj, and alongside it, Bose had established the Provisional Government of Free India, also known as the Arzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind. Many historians consider this moment a true beginning of independent India.

A Bold Refusal in a Divided World

During this period, Bose was invited by a prominent Tamil Hindu trading community—the Chettiar community—to attend a grand fundraising event at their temple in Singapore. The Chettiars were among the key financiers of the Provisional Government. However, Bose initially refused the invitation, stating that he would not enter any place that discriminated on the basis of caste or religion.

Netaji believed firmly that “religion and matters of state do not mix”, and he was determined not to give the independence struggle any sectarian color. Later, when organizers clarified that the event was nationalistic and open to all communities, Bose agreed to attend—but he made a statement by arriving with two close associates, Abid Hasan and Zaman Kiani, both senior Muslim officers in the INA. Scholars interpret this as a strong message of secular unity—that the Provisional Government would rise above religious identities.

January 24, 1950 – India Adopts Its National Anthem

Fast forward to this day in history—24th January 1950, the Constituent Assembly officially adopted “Jana Gana Mana” as the National Anthem of India. Just two days later, on Republic Day, the tricolor was hoisted, and the nation proudly sang the anthem—a song often sung for 52 seconds, but rarely understood in its depth and meaning.

This is not just a tale of a song—it is a story of India’s ideals, unity in diversity, and the victory of introspection over hatred and division.

The Genesis: December 1911 – Tagore Writes “Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata”

The anthem’s roots trace back to December 1911, when Rabindranath Tagore composed a song at Shantiniketan titled “Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata”. On 27th December 1911, the song was first performed publicly at the Indian National Congress session in Calcutta.

By 1919, Tagore sang it again at the Besant Theosophical College in Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh. The college’s vice-president, Margaret Cousins, was so moved that she documented the performance and even recorded its musical notations. From that day, the song became part of the college tradition.

The first verse, familiar to every Indian today, names India’s geographical and cultural expanse—“Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maratha…”—while the second verse (often omitted in public recitals) emphasizes religious harmony:

“Hindu, Bauddha, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Musalman, Christian… all unite under the banner of love.”

Tagore envisioned an inclusive spiritual idea of India, not bound by narrow religious or ultra-nationalist confines.

Why Not Vande Mataram? The 1937 Debate

In 1937, a debate arose within the Indian National Congress over the suitability of “Vande Mataram” as a national anthem. While it was revered, critics argued it invoked a Hindu goddess and might alienate non-Hindus. Netaji Subhas Bose sought Tagore’s opinion, and Tagore responded firmly:

• The first stanza of Vande Mataram could be sung at nationalist gatherings, but the full hymn, being a devotional ode, was inappropriate for a secular national identity.

Bose and the Congress adopted this advice, using only the first stanza at public events—an early move toward inclusive nationalism.

Netaji’s Role in Popularizing Jana Gana Mana

By 1942, during his stay in Germany, Netaji selected “Jana Gana Mana” as the anthem of the Azad Hind movement. On September 11, 1942, at the inauguration of the Free India Center in Hamburg, Bose introduced a 55-second orchestral version of Tagore’s song, performed by the Radio Hamburg Chamber Orchestra.

Netaji saw in Tagore’s composition the perfect expression of India’s unity—beyond caste, creed, and region. The INA later tasked Captain Ram Singh Thakuri with creating a martial tune for the anthem, while Captain Abid Hasan translated its essence into Hindustani as “Sukh Chain Ki Barkha Barse, Bharat Bhagya Hai Jaaga”—the official song of the INA.

The Anthem’s Adoption in Independent India

• 15th August 1947: After Nehru’s historic “Tryst with Destiny” speech, the Constituent Assembly sang Jana Gana Mana.
• 16th August 1947: At the Red Fort, INA’s orchestra, led by Captain Ram Singh, played its stirring tune during the first flag-hoisting ceremony.
• 24th January 1950: The Constituent Assembly formally adopted the first stanza of Tagore’s song as the National Anthem.

Thus, the anthem that began as Tagore’s vision of a united India, championed by Bose in exile, finally became the voice of a sovereign republic.

The Deeper Meaning

Tagore’s five verses are a philosophical journey—from India’s geography and diversity to resilience in adversity and hope for renewal:

• Verse 1: The unity of India’s regions.
• Verse 2: Harmony among faiths.
• Verse 3: Struggles and revolutions—“Through ages of storms, your conch resounds.”
• Verse 4: Compassion of the motherland during darkness.
• Verse 5: A dawn of freedom and equality.

Even today, these verses remind us that republican values—justice, equality, fraternity—remain unfinished tasks. As B.R. Ambedkar warned in his final speech to the Assembly: “Political democracy without social and economic democracy is hollow.”

Why This Story Matters Today

When we stand for 52 seconds during the anthem on Republic Day, it must be more than ritual. It is a moment for introspection—to remember that the founders of our Republic faced far greater challenges of imperialism and communal strife, yet built a nation on secular, democratic ideals.

As Tagore wrote in his final verse:
“Night has ended, the dawn has come, and India awakens.”

The question is—are we still awake to those ideals?