Jana Gana Mana - the Indian National Anthem was chosen by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. It was first performed in Hamburg in Germany on September 11, 1942. Prof Surya Kumar Bose, who the grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, writes:
On the 11th of September 1942, the Indo-German Association was founded at the Hotel Atlantic in Hamburg in the presence of Netaji, the Lord Mayor of Hamburg, representatives of the German government, diplomats and well-known personalities. On this occasion, the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Hamburg played the National Anthems of Germany and the Free India Centre. This was the birth of Jana Gana Mana as the National Anthem of independent India. Mr N.G.Ganpulay, a close associate of Netaji and an active member of the Free lndia Centre, recorded the performance on tape. After his death, this tape was handed over to All India Radio, which broadcast a programme in 1980 called "National Anthem born in Exile".
Jana Gana Mana was taken over as the National Anthem by the Azad Hind Government (Provisional Government of Free India) on 21 October 1943. When India became independent on 15 August 1947 there was no National Anthem. Early in January 1950, a delegation from India attended the UN General Assembly in New York. One of the members of the delegation carried a record of Jana Gana Mana, which was produced in Singapore. He handed this record over to the UN Orchestra, which then played Jana Gana Mana along with the National Anthems of other participating countries. This was very much appreciated by all those who were present. The delegation came back to India in the 3rd week of January and reported to Jawaharlal Nehru and his cabinet colleagues that Jana Gana Mana was played at the United Nations and was highly appreciated by all those present. As 26 January was approaching fast and no alternative National Anthem had been found, it was decided that Jana Gana Mana should be taken over as the National Anthem on 26 January 1950.
Music in this video includes A R Rahman's adaption of Indian National Anthem from the 2005 movie "Bose: The forgotten Hero."
