India is a vast country with several variations in races, cultures, languages & geographical features. No matter how much we know about our nation, it is never sufficient. However, the present generation likes to read short, informative articles.
So, in honor of India's 75th Independence Day, we've compiled 16 fascinating facts about the country's independence that every Indian should be aware of.
Unknown Facts About Independence Day
Let’s take a look at the amazing facts mentioned below:
1. There have been several iterations of our national flag. In 1921, Pingali Venkayya at Bezwada designed the version that is familiar to you today.
Saffron and green, the two dominant colors, at first stood for the two significant communities in India. Mahatma Gandhi came up with the concept for the Ashok Chakra and the white strip in the center. The Chakra was viewed as a symbol of progress, and the white color stood in for other communities. Another idea holds that saffron symbolizes courage and sacrifice, green represents faith and chivalry, and white signifies peace. India adopted the present national flag on July 22, 1947.
2. It's difficult to believe that Mahatma Gandhi missed the first Independence Day celebration. But yes it’s true! Gandhiji was fasting in opposition to the riots between Hindus and Muslims occurring in Bengal.
3. Pakistan's Independence Day was moved up to August 14 because Lord Mountbatten was forced to attend both India and Pakistan's Independence Days.
4. The date of August 15 was chosen by Lord Mountbatten as India's Independence Day in honor of the second anniversary of Japan's surrender to the Allied forces.
5. Mahatma Gandhi wished for the Congress Party to dissolve because its goal of achieving freedom had been accomplished.
Gandhi had prepared a "draft constitution of Congress" the day before he was assassinated.
6. Only Khadi Development and village industries have the license to produce or supply our national flag.
7. India celebrates its Independence Day alongside South Korea, the Republic of the Congo, and Liechtenstein.
8. On the first anniversary of our Independence, we didn't have a national anthem.
Jana Gana Mana was first published in Bengali in 1911. However, it wasn't until 1950 that it was declared our national anthem.
9. Goa was a Portuguese state when India became independent. In 1961, it became a part of the Union of India.
10. Hindi is not the national language of India. In 1949, it was chosen as India's first official language.
11. Jawaharlal Nehru, our first prime minister, was a style icon. He was featured in a Vogue Magazine edition.
Unfortunately, he didn't make the cover page and we were unable to get a photo from there either. But this photo from Life magazine shows him looking incredibly sophisticated. Nehru's distinctive fashion sense became popular all over the world. Time magazine identified the Nehru jacket as a "global fashion trend."
12. 560 princely nations joined the union of India after its independence.
13. The name India was derived from the river Indus.
14. British attorney Sir Cyrill Radcliffe drew the borderline between India and Pakistan.
15. The First flag was hoisted at Calcutta on August 7, 1906.
