India is celebrating its 79th Independence Day on Friday, August 15, 2025. The day is celebrated across the country with pomp and show to commemorate the nation’s freedom from British colonial rule in 1947. On Independence Day, the entire nation’s heart fills with patriotism. And what better way to celebrate than by listening to patriotic or desh bhakti songs?

Over the decades, several timeless tracks have been made on the theme of Independence Day that continue to resonate on national days, school functions, and public gatherings. Here’s a look at some soulful melodies that evoke memories of India’s freedom struggle.

Top 5 desh bhakti songs

1. Mera Rang De Basanti Chola 

The song Mera Rang De Basanti Chola from the 2002 movie ‘The Legend of Bhagat Singh’ was sung by Sonu Nigam, Manmohan Waris and composed by AR Rahman. The lyrics of this song were penned by Sameer. 

2. I Love My India

The song ‘ I Love My India’ is one of the most loved patriotic songs. Sung by Shankar Mahadevan, Hariharan, Kavita Krishnamurthy and Aditya Narayan, the song was a musical hit upon its release. It is from the movie ‘Pardes’, which features Mahima Chaudhry, Shah Rukh Khan, Apurva Agnihotri, Aditya Narayan, and Amrish Puri in the lead roles. 

3. Zindagi Maut Na Ban Jaaye

The popular song ‘Zindagi Maut Na Ban Jaaye’ from the movie Sarfarosh was sung by Sonu Nigam and Roopkumar Rathod. The film was released in 1999 and features Aamir Khan, Sonali Bendre, Mukesh Rishi, Naseeruddin Shah, and others in the lead roles. 

4. Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna

Another song which is very famous and based on the theme of Independence Day, is Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna. The song was sung by Sonu Nigam and Hariharan. However, the music of this song was composed by AR Rahman. It was from the movie The Legend of Bhagat Singh, featuring Ajay Devgn, Raj Babbar, Farida Jalal, Sushant Singh, Amrita Rao and others in the pivotal roles. 

5. Maa Tujhe Salaam

The Hindi language song ‘Maa Tujhe Salaam’ was sung by legendary singer AR Rahman. The lyrics of this soulful song were penned by Mehboob Kotwal. The song was produced and directed by Bharat Bala. Notably, it is from the album Vande Mataram.