Hindustan Zindabad (Hindi: हिन्दुस्तान ज़िन्दाबाद, Urdu: ہندوستان زِندہ باد Lit. Long live Hindustan) is a Hindustani phrase and battle cry most commonly used in India in speeches and communications pertaining to or referring to patriotism towards India. It translates to "Long Live India". It is a nationalistic slogan, and has been used in nationalist protests such as radical peasant movements in post-colonial India. Other variations of the slogan are Jai Hind and India Zindabad. Such slogans are common while cheering the Indian team in cricket matches.
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Etymology
The word Hindustan generally refers to the Republic of India since 1947. It is conventionally believed to be derived from the Old Persian word Hindu, which in turn is derived from Sindhu, the Sanskrit name for the Indus River. Old Persian refers to the people living beyond the Indus as Hinduš. This combined with the Avestan suffix -stān (cognate to Sanskrit "sthān", both meaning "place") results in Hindustan, as the land on the other side (from Persia) of the Indus.
Zindabad (may [idea, person, country] live forever) is a typical Urdu and Persian suffix that is placed after a person or a country name. It is used to express victory, patriotism or as a prayer.
Use in episodes of violence
The slogan Hindustan Zindabad, and its counterpart, Pakistan Zindabad, were used during the partition of India in episodes of sexual violence against women: the slogans were often tattooed on the bodies of victims of collective rapes.
In popular culture
The slogan was used in Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, in which the protagonist, Tara Singh (Sunny Deol), is asked to shout Hindustan Murdhabad (death to India) in Pakistan, but he proclaims Hindustan Zindabad, uproots a hand pump, and kills a few attacking locals.