"Indian flag" redirects here. For flags used by Native American peoples, see the tribes' respective articles, for example the Navajo Nation.

Indian National Flag
Flag ratio: 2:3

This article contains Indic text. The Brahmic family is a family of syllabaries (writing systems used in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and parts of Central Asia and East Asia, Without rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes or other symbols instead of Indic characters; or irregular vowel positioning and a lack of conjuncts. Mojibake is the happenstance of incorrect unreadable characters (garbage characters shown when Computer software fails to render a text correctly according to its associated

The National Flag of India was adopted in its present form during an ad hoc meeting of the Constituent Assembly held on the 22 July 1947, twenty-four days before India's independence from the British on 15 August 1947. Ad hoc is a Latin phrase which means "for this [ Purpose ]" A constituent assembly is a body elected with the purpose of drafting and in some cases adopting a Constitution. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Godfrey of Bouillon is elected the first Defender of the Holy Sepulchre of The Kingdom of Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. It has served as the national flag of the Dominion of India between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950 and that of the Republic of India thereafter. A national flag is a Flag that symbolises a country The flag is flown by the government but usually can be flown by Citizens of that country as well Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country ^[1] In India, the term "tricolour" [Tirangā – तिरंगा (in Hindi)] almost always refers to the Indian national flag. Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is

The national flag, adopted in 1947, is based on the flag of the Indian National Congress, which was established in 1885 to press for independence. the flag's orange color symbolizes courage and sacrifice, white stands for peace and truth, and green is for faith and chivalry, and blue represents the color of the sky and the ocean. The central motif is a Chakra, or Buddhist spinning wheel. The 24 spokes of the wheel correspond with the 24 hours of the day, implying that there is life in movement and death in stagnation. The flag is a horizontal tricolour of "deep saffron" at the top, white in the middle, and green at the bottom. Saffron is a shade of golden Yellow resembling color of the tip of the saffron crocus thread from which the spice Saffron is derived In the centre, there is a navy blue wheel with twenty-four spokes, known as the Ashoka Chakra, taken from the Lion Capital of Asoka erected atop Ashoka pillar at Sarnath. Navy blue is a dark shade of the Color Blue. Navy blue got its name from the dark blue (contrasted with white worn by officers in the Royal Navy since This article is about Ashoka Chakra a symbol For information about Ashoka Chakra the Award see Ashoka Chakra Award The Ashoka Chakra The Lion capital of Ashoka is a sculpture of four " Indian lions quot standing back to back The pillars of Ashoka are a series of columns dispersed throughout the northern Indian subcontinent and erected by the Mauryan king Ashoka during his reign in This article is about a place in India For H P Lovecraft 's fictitious city see The Doom That Came to Sarnath. The diameter of this Chakra is three-fourths of the height of the white strip. Chakra ( Pali: chakka Tibetan: khorlo Malay: cakera is a Sanskrit term meaning Circle or Wheel The ratio of the width of the flag to its length is 2:3. ^[2] The flag is also the Indian Army's war flag, hoisted daily on military installations. The Indian Army (Bharatiya Thalsena भारतीय थाल्सेना is one of the armed forces of India and has the responsibility for land-based A war flag (or military flag) is a variant of a National flag for use by the nation's military forces on land

It should be pointed out that the actual colour used in the top band in all depictions of the flag—including this page—is either blaze orange rather than either saffron or deeper shades of saffron like goldenrod or dark goldenrod. Safety orange (also known as blaze orange, vivid orange, Caltrans orange, or Omaha orange) is a Hue. Saffron is a shade of golden Yellow resembling color of the tip of the saffron crocus thread from which the spice Saffron is derived Goldenrod is a color that resembles the Goldenrod plant A Crayola crayon with this name and color although a lighter version was created in 1958 Goldenrod is a color that resembles the Goldenrod plant A Crayola crayon with this name and color although a lighter version was created in 1958 The official flag specifications require that the flag be made only of "khadi," a special type of hand-spun yarn. Khādī ( IAST) or khaddar ( Devnagri: खादी or खद्दर Nastaliq: کھڈی کھدر simply means cotton The display and use of the flag are strictly enforced by the Indian Flag Code. ^[2] A heraldic description of the flag would be Party per fess Saffron and Vert on a fess Argent a "Chakra" Azure. Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms.

The original sandstone-sculpted Lion Capital of Ashoka preserved at Sarnath Museum which was originally erected around 250 BCE atop an Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath. The Lion capital of Ashoka is a sculpture of four " Indian lions quot standing back to back Sarnath has yielded a rich collection of sculptures artifacts and edifices comprising numerous Buddha and Bodhisattva images and other ancient remains The pillars of Ashoka are a series of columns dispersed throughout the northern Indian subcontinent and erected by the Mauryan king Ashoka during his reign in This article is about a place in India For H P Lovecraft 's fictitious city see The Doom That Came to Sarnath. The angle from which this picture has been taken, minus the inverted bell-shaped lotus flower, has been adopted as the National Emblem of India showing the Horse on the left and the Bull on the right of the Ashoka Chakra in the circular base on which the four Indian lions are standing back to back. The inverted bell is a Metaphorical name for Geometric shape that resembles a bell upside down Nelumbo nucifera is known by a number of common names including Indian lotus, sacred lotus, bean of India, and sacred water-lily The Emblem of India is an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. This article is about Ashoka Chakra a symbol For information about Ashoka Chakra the Award see Ashoka Chakra Award The Ashoka Chakra The Asiatic Lion ( Panthera leo persica) is a subspecies of the Lion which survives today only in India where it is also known as the Indian lion On the far side there is an Elephant and a Lion instead. The wheel "Ashoka Chakra" from its base has been placed onto the centre of the National Flag of India. "Indian flag" redirects here For flags used by Native American peoples see the tribes' respective articles, for example the Navajo Nation.

Design

The following are the approximate colours of the Indian flag in different colour models. It is sorted into the HTML RGB web colours (hexadecimal notation); the CMYK equivalent; dye colours and the Pantone equivalent number. HTML, an initialism of HyperText Markup Language, is the predominant Markup language for Web pages It provides a means to describe the structure Web colors are Colors used in designing web pages and the methods for describing and specifying those colors In Mathematics and Computer science, hexadecimal (also base -, hexa, or hex) is a Numeral system with a CMYK (short for '''c'''yan, '''m'''agenta, '''y'''ellow, and k ey ( Black) and often referred to as process color Pantone Inc is a corporation headquartered in Carlstadt, New Jersey, USA ^[1]

The official (CYMK) value of the top band is (0,50,90,0)—closest to the colour pumpkin—with CYMK = (0,54,90,0); the CYMK value of true saffron and deep saffron (goldenrod) being (4, 23, 81, 5)) and (0, 24, 85, 15)) respectively. Pumpkin is a color that resembles Pumpkins The first recorded use of Pumpkin as a color name in English was in 1922 Saffron is a shade of golden Yellow resembling color of the tip of the saffron crocus thread from which the spice Saffron is derived Goldenrod is a color that resembles the Goldenrod plant A Crayola crayon with this name and color although a lighter version was created in 1958 ^[1]The flag was designed by Pingali Venkayya. Pingali Venkayya (Teluguపింగళి వెంకయ్య ( August 2, 1876 - July 4, 1963) was the designer of the Indian national ^[3]

Symbolism

The Ashoka Chakra, "the wheel of Righteousness” (Dharma)"

A few days before India became independent on August 1947, the specially constituted Constituent Assembly decided that the flag of India must be acceptable to all parties and communities. This article is about Ashoka Chakra a symbol For information about Ashoka Chakra the Award see Ashoka Chakra Award The Ashoka Chakra The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious A constituent assembly is a body elected with the purpose of drafting and in some cases adopting a Constitution. ^[1] A flag with three colours, Saffron, White and Green with the Ashoka Chakra was selected. This article is about Ashoka Chakra a symbol For information about Ashoka Chakra the Award see Ashoka Chakra Award The Ashoka Chakra Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who later became India's first Vice President, clarified the adopted flag and described its significance as follows:

A widely held unofficial interpretation is that the saffron stands for purity and spirituality, white for peace and truth, green for fertility and prosperity and the wheel for justice/righteousness

History

The flag of British India

British Indian Blue Ensign with the Star of India. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British British India (officially known as the Indian Empire had various flags incorporating the Union Jack. Used as the naval flag.

The Calcutta Flag

The Berlin committee flag, first raised by Bhikaiji Cama in 1907

The flag used during the Home Rule movement in 1917

The flag unofficially adopted in 1921. The Berlin Committee, later known as the Indian Independence Committee (Das Indische Unabhängigkeitskomitee after 1915 was an organisation formed in Germany in Bhikhaiji Rustom Cama ( Gujarati: ભીખાજી રૂસ્તમ કામા Hindi: भीखाजी रूस्तम कामा also Madam

The proposed saffron flag with the brown chakra in 1931.

The flag adopted in 1931. This flag was also the battle ensign of the Indian National Army

The flag of Azad Hind, raised first for the Free India Legion in Nazi Germany. The Indian National Army ( INA) or Azad Hind Fauj ( Hindi: आज़ाद हिन्द फ़ौज was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists This article describes the organisation formed during World War II in Singapore The Legion Freies Indien, or the Indische Legion, variously known as the Tiger Legion, the Free India Legion (in English the Azad Hind Legion Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers

At the beginning of the 20th century, as the Indian independence movement seeking freedom from British colonial rule gained ground, the need was felt for a national flag that would serve as a powerful symbol of these aspirations. The term " Indian independence movement " is diffuse incorporating various national and regional campaigns agitations and efforts of both Nonviolent and Militant The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. In 1904, Sister Nivedita, an Irish disciple of Swami Vivekananda, came up with the first flag of India, later referred to as Sister Nivedita's Flag. Margaret Elizabeth Noble (1867-1911 better known as Sister Nivedita, was an Anglo-Irish social worker Author, Teacher and disciple of Swami Vivekananda Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Swami Vivekananda (স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ Shami Bibekānondo; स्वामी विवेकानन्द Svāmi Vivekānanda) ( It was a red square-shaped flag with a yellow inset; it depicted a "Vajra Chinha" (thunderbolt) with a white lotus alongside it in the centre. Vajra ( Devanagari: वज्र Tibetan: dorje ( is a Sanskrit word meaning both Thunderbolt and Diamond Nelumbo nucifera is known by a number of common names including Indian lotus, sacred lotus, bean of India, and sacred water-lily The words "বন্দে মাতরম" (Bônde Matorom meaning "Mother[land], I bow to thee!") were inscribed on the flag in Bengali. Bande Mataram redirects here for other uses of the term see Bande Mataram (disambiguation. The red colour signified the freedom struggle, yellow signified victory, and the white lotus signified purity. ^[1]

The first tricolour was unfurled on 1906-08-07, during a protest rally against the Partition of Bengal, by Schindra Prasad Bose in Parsi Bagan Square in Calcutta. Year 1906 ( MCMVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great. The Partition of Bengal in 1905, was made on 16 October by then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon. Schindra Prasad Bose, was a follower of Sir Surendranath Banerjee and the son-in-law of the moderate Brahmo leader Krishna Kumar Mitra. This flag came to be known as the Calcutta Flag. The Calcutta Flag was one of the first unofficial flags of India. The flag had three horizontal bands of equal width with the top being orange, the centre yellow and the bottom green in colour. It had eight half-opened lotus flowers on the top stripe, and a picture of the sun and a crescent moon on the bottom stripe. The words Vande Mataram were inscribed in the centre in the Devanagari script. ^[4]

On 1907-08-22, Bhikaiji Cama unfurled another tricolour flag in Stuttgart, Germany. Year 1907 ( MCMVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Events 392 - Arbogast has Eugenius elected Western Roman Emperor. Bhikhaiji Rustom Cama ( Gujarati: ભીખાજી રૂસ્તમ કામા Hindi: भीखाजी रूस्तम कामा also Madam Stuttgart (ˈʃtʊtgaɐ̯t is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. This flag had green at the top, saffron in the centre and red at the bottom, the green standing for Islam and the saffron for both Hinduism and Buddhism. The flag had eight lotuses in a line on the green band representing the eight provinces of British India. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British The words Vande Mataram, in the Devanagari script, were inscribed on the central band. On the lowest band, towards the hoist of the flag was a crescent, and towards the fly a sun. For things named Crescent see Crescent (disambiguation. In art and symbolism a crescent is generally the shape produced when a The flag was jointly designed by Bhikaiji Cama, Veer Savarkar and Shyamji Krishna Varma. Bhikhaiji Rustom Cama ( Gujarati: ભીખાજી રૂસ્તમ કામા Hindi: भीखाजी रूस्तम कामा also Madam Vināyak Dāmodar Sāvarkar (विनायक दामोदर सावरकर (born May 28, 1883 in Bhagur – February 26, Shyamji Krishna Varma (Shyamji Krishna Nakhua (1857 - 1930 was an Indian scholar lawyer nationalist and a journalist who founded the Indian Home Rule Society, India ^[4] After the outbreak of World War I, this flag became known as the Berlin Committee Flag after it was adopted by the Indian Revolutionaries at the Berlin Committee. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Berlin Committee, later known as the Indian Independence Committee (Das Indische Unabhängigkeitskomitee after 1915 was an organisation formed in Germany in This flag was actively used in Mesopotamia during the First World War. Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Ghadar Party flag was also used in the United States as a symbol for India for a short period of time. The Ghadar Party was an organization founded by Indians of the United States and Canada in June 1913 with the aim to liberate India from The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

The Home Rule Movement formed by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant in 1917 adopted a new flag, one which featured five red and four green horizontal stripes. The All India Home Rule League was a national political organization founded in 1916 to lead the national demand for self-government termed Home Rule, and to obtain Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak (बाळ गंगाधर टिळक ( July 23 1856 - August 1 1920) was an Indian nationalist Annie Wood Besant (ˈbɛsənt Clapham London October 1 1847 &ndash September 20 1933 in Adyar, India) was a prominent Theosophist, On the upper left quadrant was the Union Flag which signified the Dominion status that the movement sought to achieve. The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities under sovereign authority within the British Empire and A crescent and a star, both in white, are set in top fly. Seven white stars are arranged as in the Saptarishi constellation (the constellation Ursa Major), which is sacred to Hindus. Ursa Major ( is a Constellation visible throughout the year in most of the northern hemisphere This flag could not become popular among the masses. ^[4]

A year earlier in 1916, Pingali Venkayya, from Machilipatnam in present-day Andhra Pradesh tried to devise a common national flag. Pingali Venkayya (Teluguపింగళి వెంకయ్య ( August 2, 1876 - July 4, 1963) was the designer of the Indian national Machilipatnam (మచిలిపట్నం is a city and a special grade Municipality in Krishna district in the Indian state of Andhra His endeavours were noticed by Umar Sobani and SB Bomanji, who together formed the Indian National Flag Mission. When Venkayya sought Mahatma Gandhi's approval for the flag, the Mahatma suggested the incorporation of the "Charkha" or spinning wheel on the flag, symbolising "the embodiment of India and the redemption of all its ills". Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( Gujarati: મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી moɦən̪d̪äs kəɾəmʧən̪d̪ gän̪d̪ʱi (2 October 1869 – 30 January The humble spinning-wheel had become a hallowed symbol of the economic regeneration of India under the Mahatma's championship. Pingali Venkayya came up with a flag with the charkha on a red and green background. Pingali Venkayya (Teluguపింగళి వెంకయ్య ( August 2, 1876 - July 4, 1963) was the designer of the Indian national However, Mahatma Gandhi found that the flag did not represent all the religions of India. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( Gujarati: મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી moɦən̪d̪äs kəɾəmʧən̪d̪ gän̪d̪ʱi (2 October 1869 – 30 January ^[3]

To address Mahatma Gandhi's concerns, another new flag was indeed designed. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( Gujarati: મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી moɦən̪d̪äs kəɾəmʧən̪d̪ gän̪d̪ʱi (2 October 1869 – 30 January This tricolour featured white on top, green in the centre and red at the bottom, symbolising the minority religions, Muslims and Hindus respectively, with a "Charkha" drawn across all three bands. Parallels were drawn with the fact that it closely resembled the Flag of Ireland, symbol of the other major freedom struggle against the British Empire. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. ^[1] This flag was first unfurled at the congress party meeting in Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad (અમદાવાદ Amdāvād, Hindi: अहमदाबाद) is the largest city in Although this flag was not adopted as the official flag of the Indian National Congress party, it was nevertheless widely used during the freedom movement. Indian National Congress-I (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major Political party in India.

However, there were many who were not satisfied with the communal interpretation of the flag. The All India Sanskrit Congress that convened in Calcutta in 1924 suggested the inclusion of saffron or ochre and the "gadha" (mace) of Vishnu as the symbol of the Hindus. Ochre or Ocher (pronounced /'əʊkə(r/ from the Greek ὠχρός yellow is a Color, usually described as golden - Yellow For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Later that year, it was suggested that geru (an earthy-red colour) "typified the spirit of renunciation and symbolised an ideal common to the Hindu yogis and sanyasis as well as the Muslim fakirs and darveshes. Red ochre and yellow ochre (pronounced /'əʊkə/ from the Greek ὄχρος yellow are Pigments made from naturally tinted Clay. Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the "Sanyasi" redirects here For the motion picture see Sanyasi (1975 film Sannyasa, ( Devanagari: संन्यास A fakir or faqir is a Sufi, especially one who Performs feats of Endurance or apparent magic. " The Sikhs also stepped up the demand to either include a yellow colour that would represent them, or abandon religious symbolism altogether. Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century

In light of these developments, the Congress Working Committee appointed a seven member Flag Committee on 1931-04-02 to sort out these issues. Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 68 - Galba, Governor of Hispania, names himself legatus senatus populique Romani, breaking the line of A resolution was passed noting that "objection has been taken to the three colours in the flag on the ground that they are conceived on the communal basis. " The unlikely result of these confabulations was a flag featuring just one colour, ochre, and a "Charkha" at upper hoist. Ochre or Ocher (pronounced /'əʊkə(r/ from the Greek ὠχρός yellow is a Color, usually described as golden - Yellow Though recommended by the flag committee, the INC did not adopt this flag, as it seemed to project a communalistic ideology.

Later, the final resolution on a flag was passed when the Congress committee met at Karachi in 1931. (ڪراچي) is the largest city in Pakistan. It is the world's second largest city proper behind Mumbai in terms of population which exceeds 10 million The tricolour flag then adopted was designed by Pingali Venkayya. Pingali Venkayya (Teluguపింగళి వెంకయ్య ( August 2, 1876 - July 4, 1963) was the designer of the Indian national It featured three horizontal strips of saffron, white and green, with a "Charkha" in the centre. The colours were interpreted thus: saffron for courage; white for truth and peace; green for faith and prosperity. The "Charkha" symbolised the economic regeneration of India and the industriousness of its people. ^[1]

At the same time a variant of the flag was being used by the Indian National Army that included the words "Azad Hind" with a springing tiger in lieu of the "Charkha" signifying Subhash Chandra Bose's armed struggle as opposed to Mahatma Gandhi's non-violence. The Indian National Army ( INA) or Azad Hind Fauj ( Hindi: आज़ाद हिन्द फ़ौज was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists Subhas Chandra Bose (সুভাষ চন্দ্র বসু (born January 23, 1897; presumed to have died August 18, 1945 Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( Gujarati: મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી moɦən̪d̪äs kəɾəmʧən̪d̪ gän̪d̪ʱi (2 October 1869 – 30 January This tricolour was hoisted for the first time on Indian soil in Manipur by Subhash Chandra Bose. Manipur (mnipur in Meitei Mayek) is a state in northeastern India, making its capital in the city of Subhas Chandra Bose (সুভাষ চন্দ্র বসু (born January 23, 1897; presumed to have died August 18, 1945

A few days before India gained its freedom in August 1947, the Constituent Assembly was formed to discuss the flag of the India. A constituent assembly is a body elected with the purpose of drafting and in some cases adopting a Constitution. They set up an ad hoc committee headed by Rajendra Prasad and consisting of Abul Kalam Azad, Sarojini Naidu, C. Rajagopalachari, KM Munshi and B.R. Ambedkar as its members. Ad hoc is a Latin phrase which means "for this [ Purpose ]" Dr Rajendra Prasad (डा॰ राजेन्द्र प्रसाद ( December 3, 1884 &ndash February 28, 1963) was the Maulana Abul Kalam Muhiyuddin Ahmed (11 November 1888 &ndash 22 February 1958 was a Muslim scholar and a senior political leader of the Indian independence Sarojini Naidu or Sarojini Chattopadhyaya ( February 13, 1879, Hyderabad - March 2, 1949, Lucknow) also known Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari (Tamil சக்ரவர்த்தி ராஜகோபாலாச்சாரி ( December 10, 1878 - December 25, Kanhaiyalal Maneklal Munshi ( December 30, 1887 - February 8, 1971) was an Indian Freedom fighter from the state of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar ( Marathi:डॊभीमराव रामजी आंबेडकर ( April 14, 1891 — December 6, 1956 The Flag Committee was constituted on 1947-06-23 and it began deliberations on the issue. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish After three weeks they came to a decision on 14 July 1947, being that the flag of the Indian National Congress should be adopted as the National Flag of India with suitable modifications, to make it acceptable to all parties and communities. Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Indian National Congress-I (also known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major Political party in India. It was further resolved that the flag should not have any communal undertones. The "Dharma Chakra" which appears on the abacus of Sarnath was adopted in the place of the "Charkha". This article is about a place in India For H P Lovecraft 's fictitious city see The Doom That Came to Sarnath. The flag was unfurled for the first time as that of an independent country on 15 August 1947. Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[5]

Manufacturing process

India's largest flag atop the Ministry building in Mumbai. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to

Indian flag and the State Emblem atop Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru (Bangalore).

After India became a republic in 1950, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) brought out the specifications for the flag for the first time in 1951. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Headline text The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS, the National Standards Body of India is involved in the development of technical standards (popularly known as Indian These were revised in 1964 to conform to the metric system which was adopted in India. The specifications were further amended on 17 August 1968. Events 986 - A Byzantine army was destroyed in the pass of Trajan's Gate by the Bulgarians under the Comitopuli Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[5] The specifications cover all the essential requirements of the manufacture of the Indian flag including sizes, dye colour, chromatic values, brightness, thread count and hemp cordage. This article is about the cultivation and uses of industrial hemp not its psychoactive cousin Cannabis (drug. A rope is a length of Fibers twisted or Braided together to improve strength for pulling and Connecting. These guidelines are extremely stringent and any defect in the manufacture of flags is considered to be a serious offence liable to a fine or a jail term or both. ^[6]

Khadi or hand-spun cloth is the only material allowed to be used for the flag. Raw materials for khadi are restricted to cotton, silk and wool. There are two kinds of khadi used, the first is the khadi-bunting which makes up the body of the flag and the second is the khadi-duck, which is a beige-coloured cloth that holds the flag to the pole. Beige is a pale Yellowish Brown Color. The term originates from beige cloth, a woolen fabric left in its natural color The khadi-duck is an unconventional type of weave that meshes three threads into a weave as compared to two weaves used in conventional weaving. This type of weaving is extremely rare, and there are fewer than a dozen weavers in India professing this skill. The guidelines also state that there should be exactly 150 threads per square centimetre, four threads per stitch,^[6] and one square foot should weigh exactly 205 grams. For other uses of the words gram or gramme see Gram (disambiguation. ^[7][5]

The woven khadi is obtained from two handloom units in Dharwad and Bagalkot districts of northern Karnataka. Dharwad, also known as Dharwar, ( Kannada:ಧಾರವಾಡ is a city in India's Karnataka state Bagalkot (ಬಾಗಲಕೋಟೆ in Kannada) is a town in the Indian state of Karnataka. Karnataka (ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ pronounced) is a state in the southern part of India Currently, Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha based in Hubli is the only licensed flag production and supply unit in India. Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha (KKGSS ( Kannada:ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಖಾದಿ ಗ್ರಾಮೊದ್ಯೋಗ ಸಂಯುಕ್ತ ಸಂಘ is a manufacturing Hubballi (formerly Hubli Kannada - ಹುಬ್ಬಳ್ಳಿis a city in the state of Karnataka in India. Permission for setting up flag manufacturing units in India is allotted by the Khadi Development and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), though the BIS has the power to cancel the licences of units that flout guidelines. The Khadi and Village Industries Commission is a non-profit group that serves to promote the use of Khādī (a type of hand-woven cloth in India. ^[5]

Once woven, the material is sent to the BIS laboratories for testing. After stringent quality testing; the flag if approved, is returned to the factory. It is then bleached and dyed into the respective colours. In the centre the Ashoka Chakra is screen printed, stencilled or suitably embroidered. Care also has to be taken that the chakra is matched and completely visible on both sides. The BIS then checks for the colours and only then can the flag be sold. ^[6]

Each year around forty million flags are sold in India. The largest flag in India (6. 3 × 4. 2 m) is flown by the government of Maharashtra atop the Mantralaya building, the state administrative headquarters. Maharashtra ( Marathi: mahārāṣṭra, IPA) is a state located on the western coast of India. Mantralaya is the administrative headquarters of the state government of Maharashtra in South Mumbai, built in 1955. ^[7]

Proper flag protocol

Prior to 2002, the general public of India could not fly their national flag publicly except on designated national holidays. Only government offices and higher functionaries of the government could do so. An industrialist by name Naveen Jindal filed a Public interest petition in the Delhi High Court, seeking the striking down of this restriction. Naveen Jindal (born 9 March, 1970) is a Member of Parliament, India since 2004 representing the Kurukshetra constituency in the The public interest refers to the "common well-being" or "general welfare The High Court of Delhi (दिल्ली उच्च न्यायालय is the High Court of Delhi. Jindal apparently flew the flag atop his office building, but as this was against the National flag code, the flag was confiscated and he was informed that he was liable to be prosecuted. Jindal argued that hoisting the National flag with due decorum and honour was his right as a citizen, and a way of expressing his love for India. ^[8][9] The case moved to the Supreme Court of India, which asked the Government of India to set up a committee to consider the matter. The Supreme Court of India is the highest court of the land as established by Part V Chapter IV of the Constitution of India. The Union Cabinet amended the Indian flag code with effect from 26 January 2002, allowing the general public to hoist the flag on all days of the year, provided they safeguarded the dignity, honour and respect of the flag. Events 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar.

In the case of Union of India v. Yashwant Sharma^[10] it was held that though the Flag Code is not a statute, restrictions under the Code need to be followed to preserve the dignity of the National Flag. The right to fly the National Flag is not an absolute right but a qualified right and should be read having regard to Article 51A of the Constitution.

Respect for the flag

Indian law says that the flag must at all times be treated with "dignity, loyalty and respect". The "Flag Code of India – 2002", which superseded "The Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950", governs the display and usage of the flag. Official regulation states that the flag must never touch the ground or water, be used as a tablecloth or draped in front of a platform, cover a statue, plaque, cornerstone etc. A statue is a Sculpture in the round representing a person or persons an animal or an event normally full-length as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size Until 2005, the flag could not be used in clothing, uniform or costume. On 5 July 2005, the Government of India amended the code, allowing use of the flag as clothing and uniform. Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. It however cannot be used as clothing below the waist or as undergarments. ^[11] It is also prohibited to embroider the national flag and other symbols onto pillowcases or neckerchiefs. ^[12]

The flag may not be intentionally placed upside down, dipped in anything, or hold any objects other than flower petals before unfurling. No sort of lettering may be inscribed on the flag. ^[2]

Handling of the flag

There are a number of traditional rules of respect that should be observed when handling or displaying the flag. When out in the open, the flag should always be hoisted at sunrise and lowered at sunset, irrespective of the weather conditions. Sunrise is the instant at which the upper edge of the Sun appears above the Horizon in the East. Sunset, also called sundown in some American English Dialects is the instant when the trailing edge of the Sun 's disk disappears below The flag may be also flown on a public building at night under special circumstances.

The flag should never be depicted, displayed or flown upside down. Tradition also states that when draped vertically, the flag should not merely be rotated through 90 degrees, but also reversed. pair of Angles is said to be vertical (US English or opposite (British English if the angles share the same vertex and are bounded by the same pair of This article describes the unit of angle For other meanings see Degree. One "reads" a flag like the pages of a book, from top to bottom and from left to right, and after rotation the results should be the same. It is also insulting to display the flag in a frayed or dirty state. The same rule applies to the flagpoles and halyards used to hoist the flag, which should always be in a proper state of maintenance.

With other countries

When the National Flag is flown outdoors in company with the national flags of other countries, there are several rules that govern the ways in which the flag must be flown, specifically that it must always occupy the position of honour. This means it must be the flag furthest to the right (observers' left) of all the flags on display, with the flags of other countries being arranged alphabetically according to the Latin alphabet. All the flags should be approximately the same size, with no flag being larger than the Indian flag. Each country's flag should be on a separate pole, with no national flag being flown on top of another from the same pole.

It would be permissible in such a case to begin and also to end the row of flags with the Indian flag and also include it in the normal country wise alphabetical order. In case flags are to be flown in a closed circle, the national flag shall mark the beginning of the circle and the flags of other countries should proceed in a clockwise manner until the last flag is placed next to the national flag. The National flag of India must always be hoisted first and lowered last.

When the flag is displayed on crossed poles, the Indian flag's pole should be in front and the flag to the right (observers' left) of the other flag. When the United Nations flag is flown along with the Indian flag, it can be displayed on either side of it. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The general practice is to fly the flag on the extreme right with reference to the direction which it is facing. ^[2]

With non-national flags

When the flag is displayed with other flags that are not national flags, such as corporate flags and advertising banners, the rules state that if the flags are on separate staffs, the flag of India should be in the middle, or the furthest left from the viewpoint of the onlookers, or at least one flag's breadth higher than the other flags in the group. Its flagpole must be in front of the other poles in the group, but if they are on the same staff, it must be the uppermost flag. If the flag is carried in procession with other flags, it must be at the head of the marching procession, or if carried with a row of flags in line abreast, it must be carried to the marching right of the procession. ^[2]

Showing the flag indoors

Whenever the flag is displayed indoors in the halls at public meetings or gatherings of any kind, it should always be on the right (observers' left), as this is the position of authority. So when the flag is displayed next to a speaker in the hall or other meeting place, it must be placed on the speaker's right hand. When it is displayed elsewhere in the hall, it should be to the right of the audience. Brooklyn Book Festival crowd by David Shankbonejpg|thumb|An audience at the Brooklyn Book Festival in New York City.

The flag should be displayed completely spread out with the saffron stripe on top. If hung vertically on the wall behind the podium, the saffron stripe should be to the left of the onlookers facing the flag with the hoist cord at the top. ^[2]

Parades and ceremonies

The flag, when carried in a procession or parade or with another flag or flags, should be on the marching right or alone in the centre at the front. A parade (also called march or marchpast) is a procession of people usually organized along a street often in Costume, and often accompanied by Fire The flag may form a distinctive feature of the unveiling of a statue, monument, or plaque, but should never be used as the covering for the object. As a mark of respect to the flag, it should never be dipped to a person or thing. This article relates to flag display techniques See Chewing tobacco for the practice of dipping tobacco Regimental colours, organisational or institutional flags may be dipped as a mark of honour.

During the ceremony of hoisting or lowering the flag, or when the flag is passing in a parade or in a review, all persons present should face the flag and stand at attention. Those present in uniform should render the appropriate salute. When the flag is in a moving column, persons present will stand at attention or salute as the flag passes them. A dignitary may take the salute without a head dress. The flag salutation should be followed by the playing of the national anthem. Jana Gana Mana (জন গণ মন Jôno Gôno Mono) is the National anthem of India. ^[2]

Display on vehicles

The privilege of flying the national flag on a vehicle is restricted to the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Governors and Lt. The President of India or Rashtrapati ( Hindi: राष्ट्रपति a Sanskrit Neologism, lit The Vice-President of India is the second-highest ranking government official in the Executive branch of the Government of India after the President The Prime Minister of India is head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive Governors, Chief Ministers, Cabinet Ministers and Junior Cabinet members of the Indian Parliament and state legislatures, Speakers of the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies, Chairmen of the Rajya Sabha and state legislative councils, judges of the Supreme Court of India and High Courts, and high ranking officers of the army, navy and air force. A Chief Minister is the elected Head of government of a sub-national (e The Lok Sabha (also titled the House of the People, by the Constitution) is the directly elected Lower house of the Parliament of India The Rajya Sabha (meaning the "Council of States" is the Upper house of the Parliament of India. The Supreme Court of India is the highest court of the land as established by Part V Chapter IV of the Constitution of India. The Indian Army (Bharatiya Thalsena भारतीय थाल्सेना is one of the armed forces of India and has the responsibility for land-based The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The Indian Air Force (Devanāgarī भारतीय वायु सेना IAST Bhartiya Vāyu Senā is the air arm of the Armed Forces of India and has the

They may fly the flag on their cars, whenever they consider it necessary or advisable. The flag shall be flown from a staff, which should be affixed firmly either on the middle front of the bonnet or to the front right side of the car. When a foreign dignitary travels in a car provided by government, the flag should be flown on the right side of the car and the flag of the foreign country should be flown on the left side of the car.

The flag should be flown on the aircraft carrying the President, the Vice-President or the Prime Minister on a visit to a foreign country. Alongside the National Flag, the flag of the country visited should also be flown but, when the aircraft lands in countries en route, the national flags of the countries touched would be flown instead, as a gesture of courtesy and goodwill. When the President goes on tour within India, the flag should be displayed on the side by which the President will embark the aircraft or disembark from it. When the President travels by special train within the country, the flag should be flown from the driver’s cab on the side facing the platform of the station from where the train departs. The flag should be flown only when the special train is stationary or when coming into the station where it is going to halt. ^[2]

Half-mast

The flag should be flown at half-mast as a sign of mourning only on instructions from the president, who will also give a date ending the mourning period. Half-staff or half-mast describes a Flag flying approximately halfway up a flagpole or ship's mast (though anywhere from one-third to two-thirds of the way up is acceptable Mourning is in the simplest sense synonymous with Grief over the Death of someone When the flag is to be flown at half mast, it must first be raised to the top of the mast and then slowly lowered to half mast. Before being lowered at sunset or at the appropriate time, the flag is first raised to the top of the pole and then lowered. Only the Indian flag is flown half mast; all other flags remain at normal height.

The flag is flown at half-mast for the death of the President, Vice-President and Prime Minister all over India. The President of India or Rashtrapati ( Hindi: राष्ट्रपति a Sanskrit Neologism, lit The Vice-President of India is the second-highest ranking government official in the Executive branch of the Government of India after the President The Prime Minister of India is head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive For the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of The Supreme Court of India, it is flown in Delhi and for a Union Cabinet Minister it is flown in Delhi and the state capitals. The Lok Sabha (also titled the House of the People, by the Constitution) is the directly elected Lower house of the Parliament of India The Supreme Court of India is the highest court of the land as established by Part V Chapter IV of the Constitution of India. Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population Cabinet ministers Manmohan Singh - Prime Minister and also in-charge of the Ministries/ Departments not specifically allocated to the charge of any Minister For Minister of State, it is flown only in Delhi. For a Governor, Lt. Governor and Chief Minister of a state or union territory it is flown in the concerned state.

If the intimation of the death of any dignitary is received in the afternoon, the flag shall be flown at half-mast on the following day also at the place or places indicated above, provided the funeral has not taken place before sun-rise on that day. On the day of the funeral of a dignitary mentioned above, the flag shall be flown at half-mast at the place of the funeral.

In the event of a half-mast day coinciding with the Republic Day, Independence Day, Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, National Week (6th to 13 April), any other particular day of national rejoicing as may be specified by the Government of India or in the case of a state, on the anniversary of formation of that state, flags are not permitted to be flown at half-mast except over the building where the body of the deceased is lying until such time it has been removed and that flag shall be raised to the full-mast position after the body has been removed. Republic Day is the name of a Public holiday in several countries to commemorate the day when they first became Republics January 9th in Republika An Independence Day is an annual celebration commemorating the Anniversary of a Nation 's assumption of independent Statehood, usually after ceasing Gandhi Jayanti Bold text is a national holiday celebrated in India to mark the occasion of the Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the " Events 1111 - Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. 1204 - The Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople

Observances of State mourning on the death of foreign dignitaries are governed by special instructions issued from the Ministry of Home Affairs (Home Ministry) in individual cases. However, in the event of death of either the Head of the State or Head of the Government of a foreign country, the Indian Mission accredited to that country may fly the national flag on the above mentioned days.

On occasions of state, military, central para-military forces funerals, the flag shall be draped over the bier or coffin with the saffron towards the head of the bier or coffin. The flag shall not be lowered into the grave or burnt in the pyre. Cremation is the act of reducing a Corpse by burning, generally in a crematorium furnace or crematory fire ^[2]

Disposal

When no longer in a fit condition to be used, a flag should be disposed of in a dignified manner, preferably by burning or ground burial. Fire is the heat and light energy released during a Chemical reaction, in particular a combustion reaction. ^[2]

See also

• List of Indian flags
• National Emblem of India
• Ashoka Chakra
• Lion Capital of Ashoka

References

Further reading

• Virmani, Arundhati (1999). "National Symbols under Colonial Domination: The Nationalization of the Indian Flag, March-August 1923".  

External links

• Download Flag of India image from the National Portal of India, Government of India.
• The Flag Code of India
• Tiranga.net
• culture representations in the Indian flag
• Flag of India through Indian stamps
• The wheel of truth
• For Pictures of the famous original "Lion Capital of Ashoka" preserved at the Sarnath Museum which has been adopted as the "National Emblem of India" and the Ashoka Chakra (Wheel) from which has been placed in the center of the "National Flag of India" - See "lioncapital" from Columbia University Website, New York, USA