After the success of the Earth Anthem, which has been translated into major world languages, Indian poet-diplomat Abhay Kumar is ready with the first ever South Asian Anthem.
In the history of South Asia, after the establishment of the South Asian University, a South Asian Anthem, a song that all South Asians could sing together, if adopted by SAARC, it would be a major catalyst in fostering deeper South Asian consciousness.
The Earth Anthem written was released in June this year by Kapil Sibal and Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Union Ministers of India at ICCR, New Delhi, and later in Kathmandu by Mr. Jhalanath Khanal, former Prime Minister of Nepal in presence of Mr. Axel Plathe, UNESCO's Representative to Nepal.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), India, has put the Earth Anthem on its website for the use of the students studying in schools affiliated with CBSE.
Regional organizations such as the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), European Union and African Union have their own regional anthems. 'ASEAN Way' is ASEAN's anthem while the European Union use 'Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 (Ode to Joy)' and 'Let's All Unite and Celebrate Together' is the anthem of the African Union.
SAARC does not have an anthem yet.
SAARC Anthem by Abhay K. is in Hindustani, English, Nepali, Bengali, Pashto, Urdu, Sinhala, Dzongkha and Dhivehi, languages spoken in South Asian countries.
The English version of South Asian Anthem
Himalaya to Hind-sagar , Naga Hills to Hindukush/ Mahaweli to Ganga, Sindhu to Brahmputra/Lakshadweep to Andaman, Everest to Adam's Peak/ Kabul to Thimphu, Male to Kathmandu / Delhi to Dhaka, Colombo, Islamabad/ Every step in unison, every step in unison/Dzongkha, Sinhala, Nepali, Hindi, Pashto, Bengali/ Urdu, English, Dhivehi, every step in unison/ one's own identity,one's own dreams / talks of love, talks of-peace/ Every step in unison/ every step with SAARC / every step in unison/every step with SAARC/.
