Later, another charming tribute to 1985 national integration film, ‘Torch of Freedom’, also known as ‘Freedom Run’, featured India’s top sports people in a relay travelling the length and breadth of the county. Earlier in 1974, it was an animated short film Ek Chidiya Anek Chidiya that explored themes like national integration and social harmony. Many such inspiring and lyrical spectacles of national unity and brotherhood have reigned in the era of 80s and 90s. It featured personalities like Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Anoushka Shankar, Amaan Ali Khan, Shaan, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Rituparna Sengupta, Shilpa Shetty, Salman Khan, Deepika Padukone, Shah Rukh Khan, Mary Kom, Vijender Singh, Sushil Kumar and Pullela Gopichand, to mention a few. It was also created by director Kailash Surendranath, and music composer/arranger Louis Banks, who produced the original version too. Another soul-stirring track created in 2010 which came 20 years after the debut song, re-recorded with an updated cast for telecast on January 26, 2010. However, the new version this month is already a sensation on social media with over 35,000 views from netizens.Įarlier, a revived version called Phir Mile Sur Mera Tumhara was released as a Republic Day special song by Zoom TV. It became the anthem for national integration. This was played on Doordarshan after Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s Independence Day speech from Red Fort. The signature song was created by acclaimed ad film-maker Kailash Surendranath, who has to his credit commercials like Liril and the Wah Taj! featuring tabla player Ustad Zakir Hussain. The video is interspersed with clips and winning moments of the Tokyo Olympics sportspersons including PV Sindhu, Mirabai Chanu, Neeraj Chopra and Ravi Dahiya, as well as the hockey team and the minister of railways Ashwini Vaishnaw singing the national anthem.Ī sneak peek into the 1988 version is a tribute to Indian diversity featuring stalwarts Bhimsen Joshi, M Balamuralikrishna, Lata Mangeskhar, Shabana Azmi, Sharmila Tagore and Amitabh Bachchan. The six-minute clip has been sung in 13 different languages, and is part of the initiatives being undertaken by the ministry of railways to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence-Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav- and showcase Indian Railways’ achievements, developments and integration on a pan-India basis. The song starts with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying a country would gain speed as well as progress through the railways, followed by videos of various railway stations and the picturesque locations most trains cover. Pandit Bhimsen Joshi’s iconic 1988 song Mile Sur Mera Tumhara has been recreated by the Indian Railways dedicated to all its employees. The song does evoke a sense of nostalgia because of its larger-than-life tribute to Indian diversity and its original theme of national integration, yet in a different style this time. This month, a brand new version of the Mile Sur Mera Tumhara song has been doing the rounds on the internet. If anyone has any contacts with DD, I would request them to make efforts to air the original song again! DD could pull off some popularity ratings with the current political scenario, heh, heh, heh.The originals will always remain embedded in our hearts as golden memories, but the revival of songs enables the new generation to associate with faces of today. Just check this out.Ī low end version of the same is available on this page: However, the cool MIT Indian grads have composed their own version for Deepavali celebrations. I don't think the original version is available anywhere on the net. Well, this beautiful version is shot all over India with all Indian languages!ĭoordharshan could do a revival of national integration theme by airing this song again. Song was shot in Rajasthan and Kerala, and composer and technical team were from Tamil Nadu. Rahman's Vande Mataram has only a few components to it. Well, this was sung in every official language of India. Some cool desi grads from MIT have composed their own version of this national integration song. I wonder what's stopping them from airing it nowadays. I would say this was the best footage ever aired by our good old Doordharshan. To Sur Bane Hamara" composed by the great Bhimshen Joshi, a masterpiece lost in time, is perhaps the best of songs in national integration genre.