'Jhanda geet' writer paid for patriotism with jail term

Kanpur: After Gandhiji assumed leadership of the Indian freedom movement and the Tri-colour became the symbol of independence, Shyam Lal Gupta, born on September 8, 1885, in the Narwal area of Kanpur in a Dosar Vaishya family, composed a motivating song 'Vijayi vishwa tiranga pyara, Jhanda uncha rahe hamara...' eulogising the flag.
The song evoked passion among the revolutionaries, spurring them on to rebel against the British.People from all backgrounds and ages adored the flag song and it became an integral and inseparable part of the freedom movement. Shyam Lal Gupta was, however, fined Rs 500 and sent to jail for composing the song, says Saket Gupta, grandson of Shyam Lal Gupta 'Parshad'.
The third and youngest son of Viseshwar Prasad and Kaushalya Devi, Shyam Lal Gupta penned the famous 'Jhanda... song' on the night of March 3, 1924. 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. When the song was composed, the city's Khanna Press, published nearly 5,000 copies of the 'Jhanda...song, said Saket Gupta. "The popularity of the Jhanda song can be gauged from the fact that among the several other patriotic songs written in those times, it was honoured with the title of 'Jhanda Geet'," said Sanjay Gupta, another grandson.
The 'Jhanda Geet' got recognition the same year from the 'Akhil Bharatiya Congress Committee'. "The song was sung for the first time on the occasion of the Jaliyanwala Bagh Diwas on April 13, 1924, amidst a huge gathering in the presence of Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru at Phoolbagh ground," says Rajesh Gupta, another grandson. Jagannath lane in the General Ganj area, where Shyam Lal Gupta lived many years of his life, used to be an important centre for freedom fighters. The locality that deserved heritage status was, however, never recognised for its importance.
Neither does the locality carry any mention of Shyam Lal Gupta, nor any signboards or memorials. There stands just a ramshackle board that reads, '48/63 Niwas Narayani Devi'. The redidents in the area, however, still remember the freedom fighter through stories passed down from the elderly in the area.
Social activists and historians, who are of the opinion that his contribution to the freedom movement was exemplary, expressed dissatisfaction, however, about the fact that little is known about him in the public domain. They say that Shyam Lal Gupta 'Parshad', among others freedom fighters, was a unique personality and the least he deserves is to be remembered by the people of this nation.
"Shyam Lal Gupta himself sung Jhanda Geet at the Red Fort on August 15, 1952. He was given a scroll of honour on August 19, 1972, at Red Fort. The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi felicitated Shyamlal Gupta. On February 26, 1973, he was honoured with a Padma Shri and he passed away on August 10, 1977," says his grandson Rajesh.