Indian National Anthem completes 100 years

(December 29, 2011) India’s national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’ penned down on December 27, 1911 by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, celebrated its 100 years of glory on Tuesday. Undoubtedly, the song has seen millions on their feet, standing to reverential attention, every time it is played in the past 100 years. Although the 100 years of Jana Gana Mana is a celebration time for the entire nation, people of West Bengal have an extra reason to add on to the celebrations as the 150 birth anniversary of late Rabindranath Tagore, lovingly called as Guru Dev, was also celebrated in the state. ‘Jana Gana Mana’ was first sung on December 27, 1911 at the 1911 Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress. Written in highly Sanskritised Bengali in 1911 the song has fired patriotism in every Indian during the Independence movement. The music of the song was given by composer Pankaj Kumar Mallik on January 24, 1950 and adopted as the country's national anthem by the Constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950. "Most people are unaware that the 52-second version we hear is part of the whole larger song of five verses. 'Jana Gana Mana' was written around the time King George V ascended the throne of England, and some people mistakenly believed that the song honoured his coronation. "The regent arrived in India shortly after, so this is also the time when the foundation was laid for the Gateway of India. Tagore is the only individual in the world credited with the national anthem for two nations, the other being 'Amar Sonar Bangla' that was adopted by Bangladesh.