No one to hoist name of flag song writer

KANPUR: We all sing the famous patriotic song 'Vijayi vishwa tiranga pyara, Jhanda uncha rahe hamara...' especially around the Independence Day and Republic Day every year, while its writer Shyam Lal Gupta 'Parshad', who hailed from Kanpur, remains unsung.
"The nation will sing the immortal song on the 67th Independence Day but few turned up to Phoolbagh ground to garland the statue of Shyam Lal Gupta ji here on his 37th death anniversary on Sunday," said Alok Mehrotra, president of Vande Matram Sangharsh Samiti.
Shyam Lal Gupta was born on September 9, 1896 in Kanpur in a Dosar Vaishya family. He was third and youngest son of Visheshwar Prasad and Kaushalya Devi. He penned the 'Jhanda...' song on the night of March 3 and 4, 1924.
City's Khanna Press published nearly 5,000 copies of the song. "The popularity of the song could be gauged from the fact that among several other patriotic songs written in those times, it was given the title of 'Jhanda Geet'," says Sanjay Gupta, grandson of the writer.
'Jhanda Gaan' got the recognition the same year from the Akhil Bharatiya Congress Committee. "The song was first sung on the occasion of Jaliyanwala Bag Diwas on April 13, 1924 at a huge gathering in the presence of Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru at the city's historical Phoolbagh ground," recalls Rajesh Gupta, another grandson of the poet.
In the dingy lanes of Jagannath street in General Ganj area, chances are you would pass by house number 48/63 without even noticing it. It is where Parshad's daughter-in-law Narayani Devi and her three sons Rakesh Gupta, Sanjay Gupta and Rajesh Gupta live. Once upon a time, it used to be the meeting place of freedom fighters Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, Purshottam Das Tandon and Sohan Lal Dwivedi.
"Declaring the house where Prashad Ji lived his life a national monument is out of question. We have made several representations and submitted memorandums in this regard, but all in vain," said Ashok Mehrotra.
Social activists and historians expressed dissatisfaction that little is known about Parshad . They say among others freedom fighters, he was a unique. His grandsons are in private jobs and toil hard to earn a livelihood.
Rakesh Gupta is a clerk in an Intermediate college run by a trust while Sanjay Gupta is a vendor and sells grocery items. Rajesh Gupta is a small-time electrician. His brother Rajesh says "we are not asking for crores of rupees; just give us a job. We will work...we don't want charity."
After Gandhiji assumed leadership of Indian freedom movement and Tricolour became symbol of independence, Shyam Lal Gupta composed a motivating song eulogising the flag," says S P Singh, professor of history, Christ Church College. The song evoked passion among Indians to fight for making India free from the clutches of British. People from every background and age adored the flag song and it became an integral and inseparable part of freedom movement. No one acknowledges Parshad's contribution to India's freedom struggle, he said.
"Shyam Lal Gupta sung the Jhanda Gaan at Red Fort on August 15, 1952. He was given scroll of honour on August 19, 1972 at Red Fort. Then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi felicitated Shyamlal Gupta. On February 26, 1973, he was honoured with Padma Shri, says his grandson Rajesh.