The story of the Indian National Flag is not merely about colours and symbols stitched into cloth — it is the saga of India’s long and determined struggle for independence. Each version of the flag that emerged over the years tells us something about the aspirations, movements, and sacrifices of a nation in the making. From early revolutionary designs to the final emblem of a sovereign republic, the Indian flag evolved in step with history..Early designsThe roots of the Indian National Flag date back to the early 20th century, when nationalist sentiment began to swell against British rule.One of the earliest known flags, often called Sister Nivedita’s Flag (1904–1906), was designed by Sister Nivedita, an Irish disciple of Swami Vivekananda. Red symbolised the freedom struggle, yellow represented victory, the flag carried motifs such as a white lotus for purity and Vajra, the thunderbolt of Indra, symbolising strength. The words “Bonde Matoram” (Vande Mataram) were inscribed in Bengali.In 1906, another tricolour — red, yellow, and green — was hoisted on 7 August at Parsee Bagan Square (now Green Park) in Calcutta. This Calcutta Flag or Lotus Flag, believed to be designed by Sachindra Prasad Bose and Sukumar Mitra, was raised by Surendranath Banerjee to mark the unity of Indians during the boycott of British goods following the Partition of Bengal..Flags abroadOn 22 August 1907, Madam Bhikaji Cama, along with revolutionaries like Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Shyamji Krishna Varma, unfurled a modified version of the 1906 flag at the Socialist Conference in Stuttgart, Germany. This tricolour had green, golden saffron, and red stripes. Known as the Berlin Committee Flag, it became the first Indian flag to be hoisted on foreign soil and gained recognition as a symbol of India’s freedom movement abroad.Meanwhile, other lesser-known designs emerged too. One featured blue, yellow, and red stripes with symbols like the sun, crescent moon, and stars, along with “Vande Mataram” inscribed in Devanagari..1917 – Home Rule MovementDuring the Home Rule Movement in 1917, led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant, a new flag was introduced. It combined the Union Jack with five red and four blue stripes and featured the Saptarishi constellation, a crescent moon, and a star. The flag symbolised India’s demand for dominion status within the British Empire, but it failed to capture the imagination of the wider public..1921 – Pingali Venkayya’s designA turning point came during the Congress Session at Bezwada (now Vijayawada) in 1921, when Pingali Venkayya, a geophysicist and fervent nationalist, presented a two-colour flag — red and green — representing Hindus and Muslims respectively. At Mahatma Gandhi’s suggestion, a white stripe was added to include other communities, and a spinning wheel (charkha) was placed in the centre to symbolise economic self-reliance through Khadi and the Swadeshi movement. Although unofficial, this flag gained popularity and was widely used by the Congress Party and freedom fighters..1931 – Birth of the tricolourIn 1931, the Indian National Congress passed a resolution adopting a new tricolour flag as the official symbol of the freedom struggle. This version comprised saffron for courage and sacrifice, white for peace and truth, and green for fertility and faith, with the spinning wheel still at the centre. Importantly, it was declared that the flag bore no communal association and stood as a unifying emblem for all Indians..1947 – The tricolour of independent IndiaWhen India attained independence in August 1947, the need arose for a national flag of a sovereign republic. On 22 July 1947, the Constituent Assembly formally adopted the current National Flag. While retaining the familiar tricolour layout, the spinning wheel was replaced with the Ashoka Chakra — the Dharma Chakra with 24 spokes, symbolising law, progress, and righteousness. It was designed by Pingali Venkayya, who drew inspiration from earlier Congress flags and Gandhian ideals. The final modification — replacing the charkha with the chakra — was proposed by Dr Badruddin Tyabji, a member of the Constituent Assembly..A living symbolThe Indian flag, often referred to with reverence as the Tiranga, is more than just a piece of fabric. It embodies the collective dreams, sacrifices, and aspirations of a billion people. It has been carried into space, flown at the highest peaks, and draped over the coffins of martyrs. From Sister Nivedita to Pingali Venkayya, and from Stuttgart to Vijayawada, each chapter in its evolution is a reminder of the resilience and unity of the Indian spirit.Today, as schoolchildren sing the national anthem under its fluttering colours and citizens proudly hoist it on national days, the Tiranga continues to inspire generations, reminding us of the price of freedom and the value of unity..It can only be made from khadi. By law, the flag must be made of hand-spun, handwoven khadi cotton, silk, or wool..The Ashoka Chakra is from a lion capital. The navy blue wheel in the centre is taken from the Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath and has 24 equally spaced spokes..There is a unique flag code. The Indian Flag Code sets strict rules on how the flag should be hoisted, displayed, and disposed of.
