Mamata's homage to first public singing of 'Jana Gana Mana'

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday paid homage to the first public singing of India's national anthem 'Jana Gana Mana', saying the composition by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore is a tribute to Bengal's leading role in the freedom struggle.

"Jana Gana Mana was first sung on this day in 1911. Our National Anthem has united us and inspired the nation over the years," Banerjee tweeted.

Taking pride in Bengal's leading role in country's freedom struggle, she wrote: "A song composed by Rabindranath Tagore to be chosen as the National Anthem, is also a tribute to #Bangla's leading role in the freedom movement."

The first stanza of the song 'Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata', composed by Tagore in Bengali was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India as the National Anthem on January 24, 1950.

It was first publicly sung on December 27, 1911, at the Calcutta (now, Kolkata) Session of the Indian National Congress.