Who knew the song would be liked so much by people? When Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon was being created we never thought it would become such a phenomenon. I recall vividly that cold winter evening in Delhi in 1963 when I sang the song as part of the Republic Day celebrations in front of President S. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi among many other distinguished guests.
When Pradeepji, the poet who wrote the song, asked me to sing it, I suggested that it be a duet with Asha. But he wanted it to be a solo. Asha had even rehearsed for the song. But then days before we were to fly to Delhi she told me that she won’t be coming along. No amount of convincing could change her mind.
Then it was left to me to rehearse alone. Composer C. Ramachandra gave me a tape of the song. I picked up the tune from the tape and flew to Delhi on 26 January with Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Mehboob Khan, Shankar-Jaikishan, Madan Mohan. I was listening to the tape all through the flight from Mumbai to Delhi.
On January 27, we reached the venue. I sang two songs the Bhajan Allah Tero Naam followed by Ae Mere Watan... I was much relieved to get it over with. After that, I went backstage to relax with a cup of coffee unaware of the impact the song had created. Suddenly I heard Mehboob Khan saab calling for me. He caught hold of my hand and said, “Chalo, Panditji (Jawaharlal Nehru) ne bulaya hai”. When I went out everyone including Panditji, his daughter Indiraji, Radhakrishnanji stood up to greet me. Panditji said, “Bahut achcha. Mere aankhon mein paani aa gaya.”
When I returned to Mumbai the next day, I had no idea that the song had already become a rage. The media was buzzing with how Panditji broke down and so on. Who was to know that the song composed for a Republic Day function would have such an enduring impact? Only Pradeepji had faith in the song. He had said, ‘Lata, tum dekhna yeh gaana bahot chalega. Log hamesha ke liye issey yaad rakhenge.’ I didn’t take it that seriously.
