On today, July 22 within the year 1947, India had formally adopted the “tricolor” as the nationwide flag. The flag has remained unchanged since then. The identical flew excessive above all democratic establishments within the Dominion of India between August 15, 1947 and January 26, 1950 and the Constitutional Republic of India since then.
Evolution of the Tricolor
It is really amazing to see the various changes that our National Flag went through since its first inception. It was discovered or recognised during our national struggle for freedom. The evolution of the Indian National Flag sailed through many vicissitudes to arrive at what it is today. In one way it reflects the political developments in the nation. Some of the historical milestones in the evolution of our National Flag involve the following:
Unofficial flag of India in 1906
The first national flag in India is said to have been hoisted on August 7, 1906, in the Parsee Bagan Square (Green Park) in Calcutta now Kolkata. The flag was composed of three horizontal strips of red, yellow and green.
The Berlin committee flag, first raised by Bhikaiji Cama in 1907
The second flag was hoisted in Paris by Madame Cama and her band of exiled revolutionaries in 1907. This was very similar to the first flag except that the top strip had only one lotus but seven stars denoting the Saptarishi. This flag was also exhibited at a socialist conference in Berlin.
The flag used during the Home Rule movement in 1917.
The third flag went up in 1917 when our political struggle had taken a definite turn. Dr. Annie Besant and Lokmanya Tilak hoisted it during the Home rule movement. This flag had five red and four green horizontal strips arranged alternately, with seven stars in the saptarishi configuration super-imposed on them. In the left-hand top corner was the Union Jack. There was also a white crescent and star in one corner.
The flag unofficially adopted in 1921
During the session of the All India Congress Committee which met at Bezwada in 1921 (now Vijayawada) an Andhra youth prepared a flag and took it to Gandhiji. It was made up of two colours-red and green-representing the two major communities i.e. Hindus and Muslims. Gandhiji suggested the addition of a white strip to represent the remaining communities of India and the spinning wheel to symbolise progress of the Nation.
The flag adopted in 1931. This flag was also the battle ensign of the Indian National Army.
The year 1931 was a landmark in the history of the flag. A resolution was passed adopting a tricolor flag as our national flag. This flag, the forbear of the present one, was saffron, white and green with Mahatma Gandhi’s spinning wheel at the center. It was, however, clearly stated that it bore no communal significance and was to be interpreted thus.
The present Tricolour flag of India
On July 22, 1947, the Constituent Assembly adopted it as Free India National Flag. After the advent of Independence, the colours and their significance remained the same. Only the Dharma Charkha of Emperor Asoka was adopted in place of the spinning wheel as the emblem on the flag. Thus, the tricolour flag of the Congress Party eventually became the tricolour flag of Independent India.
Who Designed The Indian Flag?
In 1929, agriculturalist and freedom fighter Pingali Venkayya had drawn the design on which the Indian nationwide flag relies. Venkayya started engaged on the flag design after Mahatma Gandhi had raised the significance of envisaging a flag which displays the aspirations of an unbiased India.
What The Indian Flag Represents?
The color saffron of the flag represents braveness, valour and sacrifice of all countrymen. The center white portion displays the aspiration for peace and justice. The green color of the flag is reflective of India’s agricultural prosperity and environmental assets.
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