It is common knowledge that A.R. Rahman will be in Coimbatore for the ‘Nenje Ezhu’ live-in concert on January 23. But what will come as a surprise is that Rahman will enthral a school full of students on January 22 evening.

The music director-singer will visit the 91-year old PSG Sarvajana Higher Secondary School in Peelamedu to spend time with the students and also sing a few songs with them. And, what is intriguing here is that Rahman is not visiting the school on an invitation from the PSG Institutions, but out of his own interest.

And, this interest was born on knowing that Rabindranath Tagore had visited the school in 1926 and sung the ‘Jana Gana Mana’ much before it become the National Anthem.

Director of PSG Institute of Management, R. Nandagopal, says that the organisers of the live-in concert informed him that Rahman evinced a keen interest on visiting the school when they had told him about Tagore’ visit.

Since it is not a formal programme, the PSG heads are not sure how Rahman will plan the visit. Nevertheless, they are sure he will engage the students with a few of his hits, and if the sun had not set, then even croon the ‘Jana Gana Mana’.

Rahman singing the nation’s song at the school will have a great significance for the present students and the ones who studied before them. Because, for them ‘Jana Gana Mana’ has been an integral part of their student life since the day Tagore visited them in 1926, while it became known to the nation and the world officially only in January 1950.

‘Jana Gana Mana’ has remained the prayer song of the school since 1926.