Latest news with #AeMereWatanKeLogon
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
The sacrifices I witnessed as a fauji kid taught me gratitude: Shraddha Srinath
Hailing from an army background, Shraddha Srinath 's memories of Independence Day are vivid. 'It's almost like a series of snapshots. The sportsday style uniforms we wore, the little paper badge which we hand-made at home and pinned on our shirts, the colourful ribbon that didi wore in her hair for Independence Day, the colourful sash across our shoulders…everything felt so special. But for me, the best part about Independence Day was to see my father, Colonel Srinath, in uniform; on Independence Day, he wore something different, and he would look so striking on that day when he got ready for the army celebrations,' shares Shraddha. 'GROWING UP IN AN ARMY FAMILY MEANT PATRIOTISM WASN'T JUST A WORD' Reflecting on her childhood memories of being an Army kid, Shraddha says, 'My sister and I have grown up watching my father's commitment towards the nation. My mother would always remind me of the sacrifices soldiers make, how they are willing to give up their lives so that we can live free. Independence Day also felt special because all of us had such a busy day ahead of us, with mum being a teacher and she would wear a beautiful sari to work; dad would wear his special uniform to his unit and didi and I would wear our white uniforms. We would always listen to the prime minister's speech and watch the parade. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Beautiful Female Athletes Right Now Undo In the afternoon, we would all be back and listen to Lata Mangeshkar's Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon.' 'AN ARMY OFFICER'S LIFE IS ALWAYS SHADOWED BY RISK - WE WERE RAISED WITH THAT AWARENESS' 'Being a fauji kid gave me the opportunity to watch the sacrifices, commitment and bravery of army personnel up close. The postings took us everywhere — Bhopal, Belgaum, Assam, Masimpur, Secunderabad and Kashmir. My dad was away at postings in Srinagar, and a neighbourhood kid once asked me 'What if your father doesn't come back?' I remember how unsettled I felt after he asked me that and realised how the families of army officers also live in the thin line between war and peace. An army officer's life is always shadowed by risk, and the families' lives are marked by uncertainty during risky assignments. And as children, we were raised with that awareness — a combination of the Army's example and our parents' values shaping us into patriotic citizens,' says Shraddha. As a child, I saw Independence Day as a day to honour those who gave their lives for our freedom. But as I grew older, my perspective deepened. I realised that freedom is also about the hard-won right to live as we wish and not just the literal meaning of being free Shraddha Srinath
Hans India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Echoes of the Nation: Indian Military Bands Live at Phoenix Mall of Asia this Independence Day
Bengaluru: This Independence Day, Phoenix Mall of Asia will transform into a grand stage of pride, unity, and music as the Indian Military Bands, with the Army Brass Band, Pipe Band, and Jazz Band, perform live at Fan Park, 2nd Floor from 11:00 AM onwards. The event is open to all, inviting citizens to gather in a shared celebration of freedom. With roots dating back to the 19th century, Indian Military Bands have evolved into a proud tradition that blends Indian melodies with the precision and grandeur of military music. Guests will be treated to a stirring performance lineup ranging from timeless patriotic anthems like Maa Tujhe Salaam and Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon to ceremonial marches, soulful jazz arrangements, and the resonant sounds of traditional pipe music. The repertoire will honour both the solemnity and joy of Independence Day, creating a moment where every note becomes a salute to the nation. The Indian Military Bands have long been a symbol of national pride, performing at the country's most prestigious occasions including the Republic Day parade, state visits, and international military music festivals across Europe and Asia. Known for their precision, artistry, and commanding stage presence, these ensembles embody the unity, tradition, and diversity of the Indian Armed Forces. This Independence Day, immerse yourself in the grandeur of military music, celebrate the spirit of freedom, and be part of a gathering where every note pays tribute to the nation.
Mint
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Independence Day 2025: 10 Bollywood Patriotic songs to celebrate the spirit of freedom
Independence Day 2025: As India gears up to mark its 79th Independence Day on Friday, August 15, the nation's streets, schools, and homes will come alive with parades, cultural events, and celebrations. And no celebration of freedom feels complete without music-- a constant companion in India's journey of patriotism on screen. Over the decades, Bollywood has given us timeless tracks that capture the essence of sacrifice, pride, and love for the motherland. From soul-stirring classics to high-energy anthems, these songs continue to unite generations every August 15. I Love My India (Pardes, 1997) – Sung by Shankar Mahadevan, Hariharan, Kavita Krishnamurthy, and Aditya Narayan, this evergreen track still plays loud at every patriotic celebration. Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon – Lata Mangeshkar's immortal tribute to India's martyrs, first performed in 1963 before Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, remains unmatched in emotion. Kar Chale Hum Fida (Haqeeqat, 1964) – Penned by Kaifi Azmi and sung by Mohammad Rafi, this classic continues to evoke deep respect for the armed forces. Maa Tujhe Salaam (Vande Mataram, 1997) – A.R. Rahman's powerful vocals and stirring composition make this a modern patriotic anthem. Chak De! India (Chak De! India, 2007) – This high-energy song from Shah Rukh Khan's sports drama celebrates teamwork and national pride. Sandese Aate Hain (Border, 1997) – Sung by Sonu Nigam and Roop Kumar Rathod, this emotional number reflects the longing of soldiers for their families. Teri Mitti (Kesari, 2019) – B Praak's heartfelt vocals beautifully express the devotion of a soldier to his motherland. Aisa Des Hai Mera (Veer-Zaara, 2004) – A melodious celebration of India's beauty and diversity, sung by Lata Mangeshkar, Udit Narayan, and others. Des Rangila (Fanaa, 2006) – Mahalakshmi Iyer's vibrant performance captures the colourful spirit of India. Ye Jo Des Hai Tera (Swades, 2004) – A.R. Rahman's soulful track about the pull of home remains a favourite for Indians everywhere. Whether you're watching the flag hoisting or hosting a gathering at home, these Bollywood gems will add the perfect soundtrack to your Independence Day celebrations.
India Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Ae Mere Watan ke…: India's favourite I-Day song, the one that made Nehru weep
On every Independence Day and Republic Day, there's a moment you can almost set your watch to. The speeches pause, the crowd shifts, and somewhere a familiar strain begins 'Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon'. The sound drifts from loudspeakers in school grounds, housing society courtyards, and government functions. It doesn't matter if it's coming from a crackling radio or a crystal-clear sound system, the effect is the same. Heads turn, voices lower, and for a few minutes, everyone is pulled into the same hard to imagine now, but there was a time when this song didn't exist, no cue for that collective lump in the throat. That changed on one winter evening in 1963, when Lata Mangeshkar sang it live for the first in the shadow of a bitter war, Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon was more than music; it was a salve for a wounded country. What began as a tribute to fallen soldiers became, over the decades, a kind of national ritual the first song many of us think of when August 15 or January 26 comes OF A WOUND, WRITTEN AS A SALUTE The song's seed was the trauma of the 1962 Sino-Indian War. Poet Kavi Pradeep already beloved for patriotic verse was shaken by newsreels and photographs of soldiers who never returned. He wrote not a victory chant, but a memorial in rhyme: a public act of mourning that asked citizens to stop, remember, and the lyric speaks to the people, not at them. It doesn't lecture; it invites. That inclusive address 'Aye Mere Watan Ke Logo' made every listener, from schoolchild to statesman, feel personally drafted into MELODY THAT MADE SPACE FOR SILENCEComposer C. Ramchandra shaped a tune that moves like a slow march resolute but tender leaving room for breath and pauses. Those small silences are where audiences swallow hard, where memories crowd in. It's music that lets a nation think between notes. When Lata Mangeshkar agreed to sing it, the piece found its voice: crystal, beseeching, and unwavering. She keeps the high notes clean, almost prayerful, so the words do the heavy lifting. The effect is less performance, more collective NIGHT IT BECAME HISTORY (AND COLLECTIVE MEMORY)January 26, 1963. National Stadium, New Delhi. The wounds of 1962 are fresh; families are still counting their missing. In the VIP stands: President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Mangeshkar steps up in a plain saree. No film glamour, no cinematic frills just the lyric, the tune, and a nation. By the time the final refrain lands, there are moist eyes across the stands. Accounts agree on one image: Nehru visibly moved, telling Lata-ji afterward that she had made him weep. In that moment, the song crossed a threshold. It was no longer "new". It felt inevitable as if the country had always carried IT KEEP RETURNING EVERY 15TH AUGUST AND 26TH JANUARY It names the sacrifice without spectacle. There's no swagger, no drumbeat of triumph. The song holds space for grief and gratitude together exactly the emotional register we seek on national not partisan. No party lines, no policy boasts, no finger-pointing just the soldier and the citizen. That neutrality makes it welcome in schools, cantonments, housing societies, and state functions is communal ritual in three minutes. The opening bars are a cue: stand a little straighter, remember a little deeper. We know when to join the refrain, when to fall quiet. Over decades, this shared choreography has become muscle memory. The perfect companion to the anthem. Where the anthem exalts the idea of India, 'Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon' humanizes it, reminding us who keeps the idea A FILM SONG YET BIGGER THAN CINEMAUnlike many patriotic staples, this isn't from a movie. That matters. Unmoored from plot and character, the lyric belongs directly to the public square. It debuted live, for the nation, and was later recorded; in that order. The street, the stadium, the school assembly these became its natural MAKING: A FEW HUMAN DETAILSA poet's promise: Kavi Pradeep pledged the song's royalties to the welfare of soldiers' families a gesture that matched the lyric's spirit.A singer's hesitation, then conviction: Lata Mangeshkar reportedly hesitated at first unsure if she could hold her composure but once she stepped up, she never allowed theatrics to overshadow the arranger's restraint: C. Ramchandra's orchestration avoids bombast. Harmonium, strings, and a measured beat keep the focus on words and IT BECAME "FIRST ON THE PLAYLISTEvery editor who has cut a school or community I-Day/R-Day program knows the quiet pressure: start strong, set the tone. Over the 1960s and 70s, All India Radio and Doordarshan reinforced the association airing the song around commemorations, memorial days, and defense choirs, NCC units, and school music teachers adapted it, millions learned the contours by heart. That's why when someone compiles "patriotic songs for Independence Day," this one naturally goes first. It doesn't just celebrate India; it explains the cost of keeping AFTERLIFE: FROM CEREMONY TO LIVING ROOMDecades later, the song turns up everywhere: in commemorations for martyrs, at felicitation events, on WhatsApp forwards every August, at candlelight vigils when tragedy strikes. Covers multiply choral, orchestral, children's choirs, military bands yet the default memory is always that 1963 evening: a single voice, a nation IT STILL FEELS NECESSARY Every Independence Day or Republic Day has two halves: the flag we raise, and the cost we remember. The anthem handles the first. Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon tends to the second. That is why committees still put it at the top of their lists, why anchors lower their voices to introduce it, why senior citizens close their eyes when it plays, and why children some not yet born when the singer left us still know the contour of its does what the best national songs do: it turns history into empathy. And empathy, refreshed, becomes resolve.(Picture credit : Generative AI by Vani Gupta)- Ends
