MUMBAI: Music industry stalwarts and Bollywood celebrities came together with Human Resource Development (HRD) and launched a new literacy anthem ‘Humko Padhna Hai Aage Badna Hai’ written by Javed Akhtar, composed by Lalit Pandit and sung by Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik.
The song marked the launch of the National Literacy Mission’s new mass adult literacy awareness campaign ‘Saakshar Bharat Abhiyan’, that aims to educate non-literate people at the grassroot level.
Rendered by Yagnik and Nigam, the recording of the song took place for four days. The literacy anthem video features actors Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Shabana Azmi, Farhan Akhtar, Kareena Kapoor and Anil Kapoor.
Speaking to Radioandmusic.com, Akhtar said, “I am a member of the HRD advisory Board and I know that this is an extremely important cause. The Right to Education Act (RTE) covers children now, but what about the grownups? We had actors who graciously participated in the video of the song for free.”
“It is of utmost importance to fight against illiteracy. If we don’t educate the women of our country, India will never rise. I would like to congratulate the people behind ‘Saakshar Abiyaan’, who have been able to successfully move ahead with their adult education programme. Actually this initiative won’t be successful, if all of us don’t come together to work towards the cause. We need the support of volunteer teachers, gram panchayats, parents and society too. We need the support of those Bollywood celebrities also, who can inspire common man.” HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said.
The anthem has been distributed to multiple media channels including YouTube, television and radio stations. The HRD ministry has also released a ringtone of the anthem on BSNL and will distribute DVD copies of the anthem across rural India.
“We are still considered a Third World country because of illiteracy. My dream and wish is to see a literate India which will take us to the top among nations again,” composer Pandit said.
Expressing her views, singer Yagnik said, “The cause of adult literacy is immensely important, especially for women. There is a saying- if you educate a woman, you educate a generation. I would like to think the anthem will have a great impact as it has simple lyrics which will be understood in villages. The involvement of celebrities helps as because it is easier to reach out to the common man. If a celebrity like Shah Rukh Khan stands up for a cause it becomes more effective.”