Controversy exists regarding the appropriateness of Jana Gana Mana instead of Vande Mataram as the national anthem of an independent India. The poem was composed in December 1911, precisely at the time of the Coronation Durbar of George V, and is considered by some to be in praise of King George V and not God.
A controversy swirls around the claim by Captain Ram Singh Thakuri, an associate of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, that he, and not Rabindranath Tagore, wrote the score for the national anthem on Netaji’s behest. An advertisement released in Calcutta newspapers by the Gorkha Hill Council to mark the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose centenary on January 23, 1997 plunged him into controversy. The advertisement hailed him as the Gorkha who set the national anthem to music, following sharp reactions that such a claim was never made before. Capt. Ram Singh Thakuri intended to write a letter to President Shankar Dayal Sharma claiming that his contribution in composing the score of the national anthem is being refuted just because he is a Gorkha. Netaji’s nephew, Dr Sisir Bose, said that Captain Ram Singh Thakuri had composed the score of a Hindi song, Subh Sukh Chain similar to the national anthem, but not identical. Tagore is widely believed to have himself set the lyrics of Jana Gana Mana to music as early as 1918-1919, like he did to Amar Shonar Bangla, now the National Anthem of Bangladesh, Ekla Cholo Re, another favorite song of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and his numerous other musical compositions, famous as Rabindra Sangeet. The credit to Tagore for the music of Jana Gana Mana is also upheld by the Government of India.
'Netaji asked me to give the song a martial tune that would not put people to sleep, but awaken those who were sleeping'
When a hero goes unsung, it hurts. More so if he composed the music for India's national anthem and Kadam kadam badhahye ja, khushi ke geet gaye ja, the theme song for Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army, now sung by military and paramilitary personnel across the country.
Captain Ram Singh Thakuri, the composer, who joined the INA in 1942 and was taken as prisoner of war by the Japanese, is deeply disillusioned by India. He is hurt on not receiving a single invitation to the various official functions organised for the nation's golden jubilee. He is unhappy with the state of the country. "This is not the India of Netaji's dreams." he confessed.
In conversation with Sharat Pradhan, Captain Ram Singh spoke about dreams that have run asunder and how Independent India has wronged him.
Captain Ram Singh, an associate of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, claims he composed the score of Jana Gana Mana, the lyrics of which were written by Gurudev Tagore.
Captain Singh claims he composed the score for Jana Gana Mana, at Netaji's behest. It is widely believed that Tagore -- a renaissance man if there was one -- set his lyrics to music.
Head of the Indian National Army's music division, Captain Singh is best known for his rousing classic, Qadam qadam barhai ja khushi ke geet gai ja. He says it was Netaji who decided to make Jana Gana Mana India's national anthem and asked him to compose an appropriate score in 1943.
Several Bengali figures have taken strong exception to Singh's claim. A member of Vishwabharti, the university established by Tagore, even demanded that the government initiate action against Captain Singh.
Now in his eighties, the composer lived in comparative obscurity in Lucknow until an advertisement released in Calcutta newspapers by the Gorkha Hill Council to mark the Netaji centenary on January 23 plunged him into controversy. The advertisement hailed him as the Gorkha who set the national anthem to music. In subsequent newspaper interviews, Captain Singh has proudly reiterated the claim.
Suvinay Rai, an exponent of Rabindra Sangeet for nearly half a century, says he has never heard of such a claim before Rai claims that composing the score of the national anthem is beyond the abilities of a Gorkha soldier since it required a great knowledge of music.
Netaji's nephew, Dr Sisir Bose, says Captain Singh had composed the score of a Hindi song, Sukh chain ki varsha barse bharat bhagya hai jaga, similar to the national anthem. Dr Bose says the song was composed because Netaji wanted to make Jana Gana Mana a martial tune, that INA soldiers could march to, like Qadam barhai ja.
Had the INA been successful in battle, Dr Bose said Captain Singh's composition would have been adopted as the national anthem.
An anguished Captain Singh has now written a letter to President Shankar Dayal Sharma, who is also the supreme commander of the armed forces. Captain Singh says that his contribution in composing the score of the national anthem is being refuted just because he is a Gorkha. 'Perhaps,' he said, 'these people believe that a Gorkha can only defend the borders of the country, he should not be fool enough to rush into composing music.'
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| Capt. Ram Singh Thakuri marking B P Bajgain’s research book on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose |
'Netaji asked me to give the song a martial tune that would not put people to sleep, but awaken those who were sleeping'
When a hero goes unsung, it hurts. More so if he composed the music for India's national anthem and Kadam kadam badhahye ja, khushi ke geet gaye ja, the theme song for Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army, now sung by military and paramilitary personnel across the country.
Captain Ram Singh Thakuri, the composer, who joined the INA in 1942 and was taken as prisoner of war by the Japanese, is deeply disillusioned by India. He is hurt on not receiving a single invitation to the various official functions organised for the nation's golden jubilee. He is unhappy with the state of the country. "This is not the India of Netaji's dreams." he confessed.
In conversation with Sharat Pradhan, Captain Ram Singh spoke about dreams that have run asunder and how Independent India has wronged him.
Who composed the score for Jana Gana Mana? Gurudev or the Gorkha?
A controversy swirls around the claim by a freedom fighter that he, and not Rabindranath Tagore, wrote the score for the national anthem.Captain Ram Singh, an associate of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, claims he composed the score of Jana Gana Mana, the lyrics of which were written by Gurudev Tagore.
Captain Singh claims he composed the score for Jana Gana Mana, at Netaji's behest. It is widely believed that Tagore -- a renaissance man if there was one -- set his lyrics to music.
Head of the Indian National Army's music division, Captain Singh is best known for his rousing classic, Qadam qadam barhai ja khushi ke geet gai ja. He says it was Netaji who decided to make Jana Gana Mana India's national anthem and asked him to compose an appropriate score in 1943.
Several Bengali figures have taken strong exception to Singh's claim. A member of Vishwabharti, the university established by Tagore, even demanded that the government initiate action against Captain Singh.
Now in his eighties, the composer lived in comparative obscurity in Lucknow until an advertisement released in Calcutta newspapers by the Gorkha Hill Council to mark the Netaji centenary on January 23 plunged him into controversy. The advertisement hailed him as the Gorkha who set the national anthem to music. In subsequent newspaper interviews, Captain Singh has proudly reiterated the claim.
Suvinay Rai, an exponent of Rabindra Sangeet for nearly half a century, says he has never heard of such a claim before Rai claims that composing the score of the national anthem is beyond the abilities of a Gorkha soldier since it required a great knowledge of music.
Netaji's nephew, Dr Sisir Bose, says Captain Singh had composed the score of a Hindi song, Sukh chain ki varsha barse bharat bhagya hai jaga, similar to the national anthem. Dr Bose says the song was composed because Netaji wanted to make Jana Gana Mana a martial tune, that INA soldiers could march to, like Qadam barhai ja.
Had the INA been successful in battle, Dr Bose said Captain Singh's composition would have been adopted as the national anthem.
An anguished Captain Singh has now written a letter to President Shankar Dayal Sharma, who is also the supreme commander of the armed forces. Captain Singh says that his contribution in composing the score of the national anthem is being refuted just because he is a Gorkha. 'Perhaps,' he said, 'these people believe that a Gorkha can only defend the borders of the country, he should not be fool enough to rush into composing music.'
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