Shri Jagannath Azad

Jagannath Azad (1918-2004) (Urdu: جگن ناتھ آزاد ) was a prominent Urdu-speaking Hindu academic who wrote the first national anthem of Pakistan.

He was born on December 5, 1918 in the town of Isa Khel in western Punjab, which now lies in Pakistan. In 1937, he obtained a BA from Gordon College in Rawalpindi and in 1944 went on to study for an MA in Persian from the University of the Punjab in Lahore. Azad then started a journalistic career, working for the Urdu monthly Adabi Dunya, published in Lahore. By 1946, Azad was assistant editor of the Urdu daily, Jai Hind. After Partition in 1947, he was asked by Muhammad Ali Jinnah to write a new national anthem for Pakistan.[1][2] Azad wrote the anthem in a few days and it was quickly approved by Jinnah. The anthem continued to be used for eighteen months until, after Jinnah's death, the government of Pakistan decided it needed a new anthem.

Long before Hafeez Jullundhris lyrics were adopted as the national anthem in 1950s, Pakistan had an anthem written by Jagannath Azad, son of Lahore-based poet Tilok Chand Mahroom. Azad was commissioned by Jinnah to write the anthem three days before the creation of Pakistan in 1947.

Azads lyrics — Ae sarzameene paak/Zarray teray haen aaj sitaaron se taabnaak/ Roshan hai kehkashaan se kaheen aaj teri khaak/Ae sarzameene paak (Oh land of Pakistan, the stars themselves illuminate each particle of yours/rainbows brighten your very dust) — were replaced six months after Jinnahs death in September 1948. The National Anthem Committee chose Hafeez Jullundhris poem from among 723 submissions.

In an article for the Dawn, writer-activist Beena Sarwar wrote, In all these deviations from Mr Jinnahs vision, perhaps discarding Azads poem appears minuscule. But it is important for its symbolism. It must be restored and given a place of honour, at least as a national song our kids learn. After all, Indian kids learn Iqbals Saarey jahan se accha. Adil Najam, a well-known blogger, posted speeches by Azad on his blog. I asked my friends why Jinnah Sahab wanted me to write the anthem. They said the Quaid wanted the anthem to be written by an Urdu-knowing Hindu.

Through this, I believe Jinnah Sahab wanted to sow the roots of secularism in Pakistan, read a post that quoted Azad. The debate comes at a time when Pakistanis are having a fresh look at the role played by Jinnah in the partition, thanks to a new biography of the countrys founder penned by former BJP leader Jaswant Singh.

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• Jagannath
• Azad
• national
• anthem
• Pakistan

[muktalall]

The video is superb. Every word said by Prof. Azad carries weight. Is par amal hona chaiheeye!! What more can one expect from the person who wrote the first national anthem of a country which he was subsequently asked to leave!!

[nasreenlone]

thanx for uploading sweet scent of the poetical flower from the subcontinent