Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the year-long celebrations to commemorate 150th years of the national song last week, he was mesmerised by the first ever recorded version of Vande Matram. All thanks to two serving senior bureaucrats who have treasured a collection of gramophone records.
Sources said the PM was captivated when he was introduced to the 1996-batch Indian Civil Accounts Service officer Akhilesh Jha and 1997-batch IRS officer Rashmita Jha, who played him the first ever record of the national song.
“The PM appreciated a lot to the zeal of the enthusiast bureaucrat couple in dedicatedly researching and revisiting the history of the country. PM was also informed that the officers have done many gramophone sessions in various parts of country to create awareness about the journey of Vande Mataram,” officials present on the occasion said. Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and top officials of the Government were present on the occasion.
Sources said the couple further narrated the other format they have been working together towards awakeing of citizens about the Indian freedom struggle. “They mentioned that they produced 75-episode YouTube series titled Azadinama which was sourced from gramophone records and which
supplemented the history of India’s freedom movement when country celebrated 75 years of Indian independence,” officials privy to the moment shared.
Both Akhilesh, who is currently serving in Rural Development Ministry, and Rashmita could not be contacted till filing of the reports.The bureaucrat couple have co-authored many books together and are graduates from Patna College, Bihar. It was learnt that Akhilesh has widely travelled to Pakistan and neighbouring country for research work and did a book titled Katasraj: Ek Bhooli Bisri Dastaan which provides not only a historical account of the place situated in western Pakistan, but also a panoramic view of the Hindu temple complex dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Further, the first ever book on legendary Ghazal singer Ustad Mehdi Hassan was also done by Akhilesh Jha in Hindi titled Mere Mehdi Hassan. People close to Akhilesh said in the year 2007 the legendary singer on request of Jha has travelled to India with his family members for u nveileing of the book.
Other major books include Ved Gatha, AdiShankar and Purush-Pariksha. Akhilesh is also known for his hands in IT initiatives in Government and working with undertrial prisoners and slum children.
