Ghulam Qadir/New Delhi

Amid the war clouds in the Gulf, 14 Indian children filled Dubai’s air with a soulful musical rendition of the UAE’s national anthem on Indian instruments, sending a message of hope and peace.

The event was organised by the Dubai Malhar Centre for Performing Arts, and its video has since gone viral on social media.

The performance gained praise from Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, who shared the video on his Instagram, thanking the group.

This is beautiful❤️
Long live the UAE 🇦🇪
Jai Hind 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/BTXbJ0F2CC

— أحمد شريف العامري (@AhmedSharif) April 9, 2026

The singers, aged 6 to 13, dressed in white and wearing scarves emblazoned with the UAE flag, strummed the strings of their sitar, played the beats of tabla, and played the melody of the flute, accompanied by the notes of the harmonium, to create a new musical version of the national anthem, which left listeners stunned.

Jogiraj Sikidar, founder of the Malhar Music Centre, who has been in the UAE for over two decades, says the idea for the concert occurred to him while driving as Iranian missiles and drones had struck places in the country, and there was tension. He spotted a roadside billboard that read, "In the UAE, everyone is Emirati."

It wasn't just a phrase. Jogiraj says that one line touched his heart deeply. He felt that this country protected everyone like its own children. He decided to express his (expatriates’) love for this country through music?

A heartwarming display of friendship between 🇮🇳 & 🇦🇪! Young talents from Malhaar, a UAE-based Indian cultural group, united to perform a soulful rendition of the UAE National Anthem, beautifully blending Indian Classical instruments.#India #IncredibleIndia #IndianEmbassyAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/IUGOyeKGam

— India in UAE (@IndembAbuDhabi) April 9, 2026

In a short time, he cobbled together his team of students and adapted the National Anthem of their adopted country to the Indian instruments and classical music.

The UAE’s national anthem, "Ishi Biladi", is played daily in UAE schools, but hearing it on Indian instruments was a magical experience.

The young musicians used sitar, flute and traditional instruments like the Jaltarang, sarod, and pakhawaj to create the magical impact.

Among these young musicians, the 13-year-old Archit Krishna, who played Tabla, said that while he was practising, he felt a strange sense of peace. At that time, children remained confined to their homes, and their studies went online due to the looming war clouds.

Archit says music gave him strength during difficult times.

Pavaki Kurup, 12, on sitar, says that the resonant sound of the sitar made her feel "strong and brave." For her, the tune wasn't just a song, but a tribute to the country that protected them.

The simplicity of this video is its greatest strength. No frills, no pretence; the innocent countenance of the children stood for yearning for peace.

Dubai's educational institution, KHDA, shared it on its social media. The Indian Embassy also tweeted, calling it a "heartwarming scene of friendship."

Listening to Siona Sengupta, 9, one can understand the impact war has on children. Siona says she wasn't able to go outside because of the news of the bombing. But when she played this tune, she felt a sense of "freedom."

According to Khaleej Times, the Malhaar Centre for Performing Arts, based in Dubai, has long been recognised as one of the UAE’s premier hubs for Indian classical music and performing arts, training thousands of students across age groups. 

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Founded as a passion project, Malhaar has staged large-scale productions and curated community initiatives that bring Indian artistic traditions into dialogue with Dubai’s diverse cultural landscape.