School Chale Hum lyricist Mehboob reveals the story behind the iconic anthem
31 August,2026 07:21 AM IST | Mumbai | Mohar Basu
School Chale Hum, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan anthem from the early 2000s, is back in public discourse amid CJP’s School Thik Karo campaign. Lyricist Mehboob recalled how his daughters’ love for school inspired him while writing the song
Mehboob. Pics/Youtube, Instagram, By Special Arrangement
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Remember Shaan and Kunal Ganjawala’s voice as they encouraged kids to wake up early in the morning and get dressed to head to school? School Chale Hum, which became the anthem of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in the early 2000s, has returned in the public discourse in an unexpected way. Cockroach Janta Party‘s (CJP) School Thik Karo campaign, which is pushing for social audits of government schools and drawing attention to gaps in basic infrastructure, has brought the familiar anthem back in public memory. Only now, it’s being used to ask an uncomfortable question: are the schools equipped for students?
Abhijeet Dipke (L) at a school during his campaign
For lyricist Mehboob, however, the song has always belonged to the children. Its starting point, he said, wasn’t a government brief or an attempt to create an anthem. “When I was asked to write this song, I sat down with my daughters, who were still in school, and asked them whether they preferred holidays or going to school. To my surprise, they said school,” he recalled.
A child’s joy of going to school and meeting their friends was beautifully reflected in that song. Mehboob shared, “They told me they loved getting ready in their uniforms, meeting their friends, learning, playing, and having fun together. I wanted to write the song from a child’s perspective and capture the joy they associate with school. I always hoped the song would connect with children across generations. So, if it’s being heard and used for a school campaign today, that, for me, is the track’s real success.”
The track was sung by Kunal Ganjawala and Shaan
The campaign may be asking very different questions about India’s government schools, but the child at the centre of School Chale Hum remains unchanged. “Children still go to school with the same excitement. That innocence and joy remain the same,” Mehboob added.
That timelessness is evident across his works – from Rangeela (1995) to Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) and Yuva (2004). “Songs like Maa Tujhe Salaam and Dhakka Laga Bukka are still remembered because they were created with care. I don’t write with a particular generation in mind. The focus is to make the song as good as it can possibly be.”
Up next
The veteran lyricist has collaborated with Adnan Samion their latest single, âIshq Tamasha’. “We felt this was the right song; it had both pain and romance. When I write, I first try to understand what the tune itself is trying to say, and write accordingly. Then Adnan’s voice took my lyrics to another level.”
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