In the shadow of the 1962 Sino-Indian War, poet Kavi Pradeep walked along Mumbai’s Mahim beach, inspired by the sacrifice of Indian soldiers. He jotted the song’s first stanza on cigarette foil - even borrowing a pen from a stranger - to begin what would become “Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon”—a poignant call to remember the fallen .

Set to music by C. Ramchandra and sung by Lata Mangeshkar, the song was first performed on Republic Day, January 26, 1963, at New Delhi's National Stadium, in the presence of President Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Nehru . As Mangeshkar’s soulful voice echoed Kavi Pradeep’s stirring lyrics, Nehru was visibly moved. After the performance, he reportedly told her, “Tumne aaj mujhe rula diya” (“You made me weep today”) .

Over decades, the song has stood the test of time—becoming a permanent fixture at national events like Independence and Republic Day, where it still stirs collective sentiment across India.