The National Flag of India was accepted in its present form during a meeting of the Constituent Assembly held on 22 July 1947, when it turned out to be the official flag of India.  Flag Code of India, 2002 has come into effect from January 26, 2002. It is neither a statute nor a statutory rule or regulation. It is one of the National Symbols of India. This article will provide you with relevant facts about the Indian National Flag for the IAS Exam.

National Flag of India – Introduction

The freedom struggle movement is an area that overlaps with both History and Polity. Both subjects in UPSC syllabus play a prominent role in UPSC IAS Prelims and Mains exam. UPSC has asked several questions regarding the National Flag, National Anthem, etc.

Every year on the 26th of January, we rejoice our Republic Day.  The Republic Day is celebrated to respect this day on which the Constitution of India came into enforce substituting the Government of India Act of 1935 as the central governing manuscript of India. In the year 1930 that the Declaration of Indian Independence acknowledged as Purna Swaraj was declared by the Indian National Congress. That is why January 26 is adopted as Republic to commemorate the Purna Swaraj.

National Flag of India – Evolution

It is believed that the first Indian National Flag in India was hoisted on August 7, 1906, in the Parsee Bagan Square (Green Park) in Calcutta.

The second Indian flag was raised by Madame Bhikaji Cama in Paris in 1907.

In 1917, during the Home rule movement, the third flag was raised by Lokmanya Tilak and Dr. Annie Besant.

In 1921, Bezwada session of the All India Congress Committee Pingali Venkayya designed a flag made up of two colors, red and green signifying the two main communities -Hindus and Muslims. Gandhi recommended the addition of a white stripe to symbolize the remaining communities of India and the spinning wheel to signify the development of the Country.

In 1931 a resolution was approved accepting a tricolor flag as our National Flag. This flag had three stripes- saffron, white and green with spinning wheel of Mahatma Gandhi in the middle.

On July 22, 1947, the Constituent Assembly embraced the Indian flag with three trips and Asoka chakra in the middle. Consequently, the tricolor flag of the Congress Party ultimately became the tricolor flag of Independent India.

Interesting Facts about National Flag of India

Here we are giving 10 interesting facts about our National Flag which will help in UPSC preparation

#1

The National Flag of India was designed by Pingali Venkayya. He was an Indian freedom fighter from Andhra Pradesh.

#2

According to the law, the National Flag of India is to be made by ‘Khadi’ which is hand-spun wool/cotton/silk Khadi cloth. Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha is the only unit in India that is accredited to supply and manufacture the Flag of India.

#3

The Khadi Development and Village Industries Commission, have the manufacturing right to make the National Flag of India.

#4

The National Flag is known as Tiranga in Hindi and it consists of three colors and Asoka Chakra in its middle. Three colors represent:

• The Saffron color -Courage and sacrifice
• White – Truth, peace, and purity
• The Green colour-Prosperity
• Asoka Chakra represents the Laws of Dharma

#5

The Asoka Chakra was selected as a depiction of Dharma.  The size of the Asoka Chakra was not defined in the Flag code. The Asoka Chakra should have 24 spokes that are uniformly spaced. The Asoka Chakra is in a Navy-blue colour on the white strip of the flag.

#6

The width to length ratio of the National Flag of India is 2:3. The three strips of the flag should be equivalent in width and length.

#7

The Indian flag was accepted on July 22, 1947, just before India gained independence from the British Empire.

#8

On May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay conquered the Mount Everest and raised the Indian flag on Mount Everest, along with the National Flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Nepalese National Flag.

#9

The largest Indian flag was hoisted in Indo-Pak Attari Border. Nation’s largest flag measures 110 meters in length, 24 meters in width and 55 tons in weight.

#10

During the Indo-Soviet joint space flight in April 1984, the National Flag of India flew into space as an emblem on the spacesuit worn by Cosmonaut Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma.

National Flag of India – UPSC Notes:-Download PDF Here

Read about other National Symbols of India from the articles linked below:

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