Qadam Qadam Badhaye Ja

"Qadam Qadam Badhaye Ja"
March by Ram Singh Thakuri
Written	1942
Text	Vanshidhar Shukla
Language	Hindustani (Hindi/Urdu)

"Qadam Qadam Badhaye Ja" (Hindi: क़दम क़दम बढ़ाये जा; Urdu: قدم قدم بڑھائے جا) was the regimental quick march of Indian National Army. Written by Vanshidhar Shukla and composed by Ram Singh Thakuri in 1942, it was banned by the British in India after World War II as seditious. The ban was lifted in August 1947 and the song has since become a patriotic anthem in India. It has been re-interpreted by various Indian musicians including C. Ramachandra, A. R. Rahman and recently by Indraadip Dasgupta in the film Gumnaami (2019) by Srijit Mukherji.

The song is currently the regimental quick march of the Indian Army.

Lyrics

Devnagari script	Nastaliq script	Romanized Hindustani	Translation
क़दम क़दम बढ़ाये जा ख़ुशी के गीत गाये जा ये ज़िंदगी है क़ौम की तू क़ौम पे लुटाये जा तू शेर-ए-हिन्द आगे बढ़ मरने से तू कभी न डर उड़ा के दुश्मनों का सर जोश-ए-वतन बढ़ाये जा क़दम क़दम बढ़ाये जा ख़ुशी के गीत गाये जा ये ज़िंदगी है क़ौम की तू क़ौम पे लुटाये जा हिम्मत तेरी बढ़ती रहे ख़ुदा तेरी सुनता रहे जो सामने तेरे खड़े तू ख़ाक़ में मिलाये जा क़दम क़दम बढ़ाये जा ख़ुशी के गीत गाये जा ये ज़िंदगी है क़ौम की तू क़ौम पे लुटाये जा चलो दिल्ली पुकार के क़ौमी-निशाँ संभाल के लाल क़िले पे गाड़ के लहराये जा लहराये जा क़दम क़दम बढ़ाये जा ख़ुशी के गीत गाये जा ये ज़िंदगी है क़ौम की तू क़ौम पे लुटाये जा	قدم قدم بڑھائے جا خوشی کے گیت گائے جا یہ زندگی ہے قوم کی تو قوم پے لٹائے جا تو شیر ہند آگے بڑھ مرنے سے تو کبھی نہ ڈر اڑا کے دشمنوں کا سر جوش وطن بڑھائے جا قدم قدم بڑھائے جا خوشی کے گیت گائے جا یہ زندگی ہے قوم کی تو قوم پے لٹائے جا ہمت تیری بڑھتی رہے خدا تیری سنتا رہے جو سامنے تیرے کھڑے تو خاک میں ملائے جا قدم قدم بڑھائے جا خوشی کے گیت گائے جا یہ زندگی ہے قوم کی تو قوم پے لٹائے جا چلو دلی پکار کے قومی نشاں سمبھال کے لال قلعے پے گاڑ کے لہرائے جا لہرائے جا قدم قدم بڑھائے جا خوشی کے گیت گائے جا یہ زندگی ہے قوم کی تو قوم پے لٹائے جا	Qadam qadam baṛhāye jā khushī ke gīt gāye jā ye zindagī hai qaum kī tū qaum pe lutāye jā Tū sher-e-hind āge baṛh marne se tū kabhī na dar uṛā ke dushmanon kā sar josh-e-watan baṛhāye jā Qadam qadam baṛhāye jā khushī ke gīt gāye jā ye zindagī hai qaum kī tū qaum pe lutāye jā Himmat terī baṛhtī rahe khudā terī suntā rahe jo sāmne tere khaṛe tū khāq men milāye jā Qadam qadam baṛhāye jā khushī ke gīt gāye jā ye zindagī hai qaum kī tū qaum pe lutāye jā Chalo dillī pukār ke qaumī-nishān sambhāl ke Lāl qile pe gāṛ ke lahrāye jā lahrāye jā Qadam qadam baṛhāye jā khushī ke gīt gāye jā ye zindagī hai qaum kī tū qaum pe lutāye jā	Keep stepping, stepping forward, keep singing songs of happiness! Your life belongs to the people, spend it in their servitude! Move forward, you, the lion of India, don't ever be afraid of death. By blowing off the enemy's head, raise the spirits of your nation! Keep stepping, stepping forward, keep singing songs of happiness! Your life belongs to the people, spend it in their servitude! May your courage be ever increasing, may God keep listening to you. Whoever stands in your way, may they turn into ash! Keep stepping, stepping forward, keep singing songs of happiness! Your life belongs to the people, spend it in their servitude! Shout "to Delhi", holding the banner of your people, plant it on the Red Fort, let it fly, let it fly! Keep stepping, stepping forward, keep singing songs of happiness! Your life belongs to the people, spend it in their servitude!

References

Sources

• A tribute to the legendary composer of National Anthem
• Rahman's tunes bring Bose back
• (Qadam Qadam Badhaye Ja .. (Every Step, Forward..)) Band of INA
• Songwriter: http://bigsurmise.com/India_Songs/Indian_Songs.php?val=39

Notes