17-Year-Old American Sings India's National Anthem, Wins Hearts On Independence Day: Video
The young performer, Gabe Merritt, delivered a performance of Jana Gana Mana, India's national anthem, in a short video that recently went viral. The clip was shared on Instagram by Disha Pansuriya, an Indian living in the United States.
She praised Gabe's performance, writing 'You feel proud when a 17-year-old American sings the Indian National Anthem.'
The online responses were very positive. Viewers commented with messages like, So so proud, this is the cutest thing I saw today, Love from India brother etc.
This video highlighted how cultural appreciation transcends borders. Jana Gana Mana was originally composed in Bengali by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore in 1911 and became India's official national anthem in 1950.
This has deep cultural and historical significance, symbolising India's struggle for freedom, its cultural heritage, and its unity in diversity. The melody is solemn yet uplifting, and it has been performed in various languages and renditions across the country and the world.
As India commemorates its 79th Independence Day, Gabe's heartfelt tribute stands out as a touching symbol of cross-cultural respect and admiration.
His genuine performance has become a quiet reminder of how simple acts of appreciation can unite people across nations in shared pride.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
29 minutes ago
- Mint
Coolie Box Office Collection Day 2: Biggest opener of 2025, Rajinikanth's movie crosses ₹100 crore milestone
Coolie Box Office Collection Day 2: Coolie, which is already leading all 2025 releases in India to be the biggest opener of the year, has now crossed the ₹ 100 crore milestone at the Indian box office. Released on Thursday, August 14, superstar Rajinikanth's movie is setting the bar for domestic box office performance this year. Coolie has been released in five languages: Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada, boosting its pan-India appeal. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, has already surpassed the ₹ 100 crore milestone in just two days. On Friday, August 15, the Rajinikanth movie minted ₹ 40.57 crore. With this, the record-breaking, Coolie's 2-day total stands at ₹ 105.57 crore. Sacnilk said ticket prices surged dramatically, reaching as high as ₹ 4,500 in Chennai. Both the superstar actor and the hit filmmaker achieved their personal career-best opening day with Coolie ( ₹ 65 crore), surpassing all previous films in their respective records. Coolie became the first Tamil movie to cross the 150 crores worldwide mark on its opening day, cementing its place in cinematic history, said Sacnilk. Minting ₹ 153 crore globally, Coolie is the biggest Indian opener of 2025 at the worldwide box office. Singapore even granted paid leave for fans wanting to watch Coolie on opening day. Trade analysts estimate it needs around ₹ 600 crore worldwide to be considered a hit. Coolie is directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj. It is backed by Kalanithi Maran's Sun Pictures. In addition to Rajinikanth in the lead, the film also stars Nagarjuna, Upendra, Soubin Shahir, Sathyaraj, Shruti Haasan, Reba Monica John, Junior MGR, and Monisha Blessy. Bollywood actor Aamir Khan is also a part of the film in a cameo role as Daaha. Anirudh R scored the music and the songs of Coolie. The film has received mixed reactions from netizens so far. At the box office, it is clashing with Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR's War 2. Coolie was released as Rajinikanth celebrated 50 years in cinema. The censor board gave the movie an A (Adults-only) certificate. This is Rajinikanth's first A-rated film in many years.
Mint
29 minutes ago
- Mint
Vivek Agnihotri seeks blessings at Kalighat temple ahead of The Bengal Files trailer launch
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], August 15 (ANI): Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri visited the sacred Kalighat Temple in Kolkata on Friday evening. He arrived in the city earlier in the day for the trailer launch event of his upcoming film, 'The Bengal Files.' Speaking to ANI, Agnihotri said that he has sought Goddess Kali's blessings for his film and will succeed in launching the trailer on Saturday, August 16. "Today, I have come to seek the blessings of Maa, and with her blessings, no one can stop this film," he shared. Earlier, Agnihotri, in an Instagram post, stated that the trailer launch of 'The Bengal Files' was cancelled by a leading movie theatre chain. "Just landed in Kolkata and learnt that the venue for the trailer launch of #TheBengalFiles is cancelled. Who wants to suppress our voice? And why? But I can't be silenced. Because truth can't be silenced," he wrote on X in a strong-worded post. In the video, Agnihotri alleged that the trailer launch was cancelled due to "political pressure and said it is "very sad commentary on our democracy." Nonetheless, the filmmaker has assured that the trailer launch "will proceed as scheduled". Written and directed by Vivek Agnihotri, 'The Bengal Files' features actors Mithun Chakraborty, Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar, and Pallavi Joshi. It is focused on the events of the "Direct Action Day," aiming to unveil the "most brutal chapter" of Indian history. A poster of the film was unveiled on Friday morning, promising to deliver the "boldest film." 'The Bengal Files' is slated to hit theatres on September 5, 2025. (ANI)
Mint
29 minutes ago
- Mint
Sachin Pilgaonkar gets nostalgic on 50 years of Sholay, shares unseen BTS pictures
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 15 (ANI): Veteran actor-director Sachin Pilgaonkar is feeling nostalgic as 'Sholay' has completed 50 years of release. Directed by Ramesh Sippy, the film is one of the most iconic deliveries from Bollywood, widely celebrated for its unforgettable story, characters, and the famous dialogues and songs. Sachin Pilgaonkar, who played the character of Ahmed in 'Sholay,' took to his Instagram handle and shared a string of old pictures with the film's cast and team members, capturing some precious moments. He also shared a few glimpses from the film, with one of them showing a sequence between Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh and Pilgaonkar. The actor shared a video, showing a 'Sholay' coin, which he received as a souvenir on the film's 50-year anniversary. Pilgaonkar opened up about his emotions attached to the film, calling himself "very lucky" for being a part of it. In his caption, he wrote, "50 years of Sholay. Sholay is an emotion. A celebration. I'll always be grateful to Ramesh Sippy Ji, who I considered one of my Gurus, for making me a part of this magnum opus and for giving me the opportunity to learn so much even behind the scenes." Fans instantly reacted to the post, congratulating the actor on the milestone. His daughter, actor Shriya Pilgaonkar, also commented on the post. "So handsome papa. And how iconic!" the 'Mandala Murders' star wrote. Directed by Sippy, 'Sholay' was originally released on August 15, 1975. It featured an ensemble of legendary actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Amjad Khan, Hema Malini, and Jaya Bachchan, among others. The film's story is set in the Ramgarh village, terrorised by the notorious Gabbar Singh. In order to defeat the bandit gang, retired police chief Thakur Baldev Singh takes help from two friends, Jai and Veeru. Even after five decades of its release, 'Sholay' continues to resonate with audiences across the country. (ANI)
