NATIONAL FLAG DAY -
POLITY
News: India's National Flag Day commemorates the adoption
of the Indian national flag on July 22, 1947, by the Constituent Assembly, a
few days before the country attained Independence from the British on August
15, 1947.
What’s in the
news?
- The national flag of India, colloquially
called Tiraṅgā(the tricolour), is a horizontal rectangular
tricolour flag.
- Became Official: 15 August 1947, the day of India's
independence.
Design
Evolution
- Basis: The flag
is based on the Swaraj flag, a flag of the Indian National Congress
adopted by Mahatma Gandhi.
- Modification: Original
design by Pingali Venkayya included a charkha (spinning wheel), which was
replaced with the Ashoka Chakra in 1947 by Jawaharlal Nehru.
Manufacturing
and Usage
- Material: Initially
mandated to be made of khadi, a hand-spun cloth promoted by Mahatma
Gandhi.
- Manufacturing Rights: Held by the Khadi Development and Village Industries Commission,
allocated to regional groups.
- Units Licensed: As of 2023, there are 4 units in India licensed to manufacture the
flag.
- Specifications: Laid out by the Bureau of Indian Standards.
Flag Design
- Description:
Horizontal tricolour of deep saffron, white, and dark green, with the
Ashoka Chakra in the center of the white band.
- Various sizes are specified, from 6300 × 4200
mm to 150 × 100 mm, with proportionate sizes for the Ashoka Chakra.
- Usage: Served
as the national flag of the Dominion of India from 15 August 1947 to 26
January 1950, and as the flag of the Republic of India since then.
- The Indian flag has a 3:2 aspect ratio with
equal horizontal bands of saffron, white, and green, and the Ashoka Chakra
in the center.
- The national flag of India consists of three
horizontal stripes of equal proportions:
·
Saffron (top): Represents
courage, sacrifice, and the spirit of renunciation.
·
White (middle): Symbolizes
truth, peace, and purity.
·
Green (bottom): Denotes faith,
fertility, and the land's richness.
·
The Ashoka
Chakra in the center is navy blue with 24 spokes, symbolizing the
eternal wheel of law (dharma) and movement towards progress. It is inspired by
the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath.
Interesting Facts
- The right to hoist the national flag is considered a fundamental
right under Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution.
- The Indian flag was first raised on Mount Everest on May 29, 1953.
- Bhikaji Cama was the first Indian to raise the flag on foreign soil
in 1907.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/everyday-explainers/national-flag-day-history-tricolour-nehru-9467338/