Celebrated Indian sitarist and composer Hidayat Husain Khan is gearing up for the release of a new rendition of India's National Anthem "Jana Gana Mana" as "Jai Hind" ahead of Republic Day 2025. The song he promises will serve as a heartfelt tribute to India's syncretic, diverse, unified, and vibrant soul.
This soulful rendition of the National Anthem also features tabla exponent Avirodh Sharma with imagery created by filmmaker Hrishi Shah. The track features the cadences of sitar, the compelling rhythm of tabla, and vocals by Hidayat Husain Khan.
Hidayat Husain Khan on a new rendition of "Jai Hind"
Explaining his vision for the rendition, Hidayat Husain Khan said, "The National Anthem was such an intrinsic part of my school days and I was filled with nostalgia when I was invited to perform it at an event in New York City. That experience then inspired me to reinterpret and record this version. The composition begins with a meditative alaap and takes the listener right into the core values that define India’s historical evolution. The rhythmic tabla patterns capture our nation’s joyous diversity. It peaks with a fast-paced 'jhala', representing India’s dynamic energy, before culminating in a solo symbolizing unity in diversity."
"The alaap and jhala sections were completely improvised in the studio with my tabla player, Avirodh Sharma. Even the vocal delivery was totally instinctive and from the heart," he added.
Produced by Ayon Ghosh (Naad), the track is enriched with subtle, contemporary references, and the video captures the gravitas and energy of India's past and present.
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Excited for the new-age audience to listen to his rendition, Hidayat said, "India has enormous cultural depth as well as resilience and 'Jai Hind' celebrates all of this. It also carries our shared memories of mutual acceptance, and respect for differences and salutes the spirit of oneness that defines India and Indians.”
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As the heir to the musical legacy of his legendary father, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Hidayat has earned global acclaim for contemporising classical traditions without diluting their soul.