Andhra CM demands Bharat Ratna for Pingali Venkayya, designer of India's national flag

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting the Centre to confer Bharat Ratna on Late Pingali Venkayya, the designer of the Indian national flag.

On Friday, flagging off the 'Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav' celebrations in the state, Reddy felicitated Ghantasala Sita Mahalakshmi, the aged daughter of Pingali, at her residence in Macharla of Guntur district.

Reddy handed her the copy of a Government Order sanctioning financial assistance of Rs 75 lakh, which was later credited into her account, as per the officials.

In his letter to the PM on Friday, Reddy mentioned that the key theme of the 'Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav', the programme to commemorate 75 years of independence, is Har Ghar Jhanda — “the call to be given to every citizen to hoist the national flag in their premises on August 15, 2021.”

“In this context, I draw your kind attention to the immense contribution made towards designing of our national flag by late Pingali, who later came to be known as Jhanda Venkayya. The flag designed by him came to be synonymous with the spirit of free and independent India,” Reddy said.

Echoing the impression in the Telugu states, the CM stated that Pingali's life and works remained largely unrecognized.

The Bharat Ratna demand for Pingali is not new. The recommendation was made by the united Andhra Pradesh government in 2012, too.

“It is in this light I request your kind self to confer Bharat Ratna (posthumously) upon Pingali that would not only bequeath peace on to his parted soul but also fulfil the aspirations of Andhra Pradesh people,” the CM wrote, adding that it would be a deserving acknowledgement of Pingalis's life and contributions.

Stating that several eminent personalities like Aruna Asaf Ali and Jay Prakash Narayan were given the highest civilian award posthumously, Reddy highlighted that the Modi government, too, had conferred this honour on Late Bhupendra Hazarika and Nanaji Deshmukh in 2019.

Read | PM Modi launches 'Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav' in Gujarat

On Friday, Chief Minister Reddy interacted with Pingali family members and inquired about their wellbeing. Mahalakshmi presented the autobiography of Pingali Venkayya to the CM and shared her memories of freedom struggle. Reddy paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and Pingali Venkayya and visited the photo exhibition on glimpses of Pingali's journey.

Who is Pingali Venkayya?

Pingali Venkayya, the designer of the Indian national flag, was born on August 2, 1876, in Bhatlapenumarru village near Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

In his youth, Pingali joined the British Indian Army and participated in the Second Boer War (1899-1902) in South Africa, where he reportedly first met Mahatma Gandhi.

Proficient in geology and agriculture fields, Pingali had knew various languages and taught at the Andhra National College Machilipatnam. Deeply influenced by Gandhian thoughts and ideology, Pingali later became a fervent freedom fighter and dedicated his life to the nation's service.

Sensing the importance of a national flag on the public psyche during the freedom struggle, Pingali undertook a scientific study of flags from across the world.

In 1916, he published a book — A National Flag for India, presenting 30 different designs for the Indian national flag, with rationale explained for every model. In 1921, Pingali met Gandhi in Vijayawada and presented him the flag's fundamental design with red and green bands.

The flag, after acquiring modifications like the white band and Ashoka chakra (replacing charkha) was adopted as the Indian national flag in July 1947 by the constituent assembly.

Pingali died in poverty on July 4, 1963. A Rs 5 commemorative postal stamp was released in Pingali's honour in 2009.