Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata

History of "Jana Gana Mana"

The poem was first sung on the second day of the annual session of the Indian National Congress in Calcutta on 27 December 1911. The song was performed by Sarala Devi Chowdhurani, Tagore's niece, along with a group of school students, in front of prominent Congress Members like Bishan Narayan Dhar, Indian National Congress President and Ambika Charan Majumdar.

In 1912 the song was published under the title "Bharat Bhagya Bidhata" in the Tatwabodhini Patrika, which was the official publication of the Brahmo Samaj and of which Tagore was the Editor.

Outside of Calcutta, the song was first sung by the Rabindranath Tagore himself at a session in Besant Theosophical College in Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh on 28 February 1919. The song enthralled the college authorities and they adopted the English version of the song as their prayer song which is still sang today. Tagore made the first English translation of the song at Madanapalle.

On the occasion of India attaining freedom, the Indian Constituent Assembly assembled for the first time as a sovereign body on 14 August 1947, midnight and the session closed with a unanimous performance of "Jana Gana Mana".

The members of the Indian Delegation to the General Assembly of the United Nations held in New York City in 1947 gave a recording of "Jana Gana Mana" as the country's national anthem. The song was played by the house orchestra in front of a gathering consisting of representatives from all over the world.

"Jana Gana Mana" was officially proclaimed as India's National Anthem by the Constituent Assembly of India on 24 January 1950.