Who wrote the lyrics of India’s national anthem, “Jana Gana Mana”?

Rabindranath Tagore wrote the lyrics of India’s national anthem, “Jana Gana Mana.”

Tagore composed the Bengali text, originally titled “Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata,” in 1911. The song was first performed publicly at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress on 27 December 1911.

India adopted the song’s first stanza as its national anthem on 24 January 1950, shortly before the Constitution came into force. The official performance usually lasts about 52 seconds, while a shortened version is also recognized for certain occasions.

Some readers confuse “Jana Gana Mana” with “Vande Mataram,” another important Indian patriotic song. “Vande Mataram” has the status of national song, whereas “Jana Gana Mana” is the national anthem. Tagore later became the first Asian Nobel Prize winner in literature, receiving the prize in 1913.