New Delhi: India Saturday celebrated its 74th Independence Day with Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurling the Indian flag at the Red Fort and addressed the nation.
But how well do you know the Indian tricolour? Here are some facts about the Indian flag that you did not know:
It was adopted July 22, 1947, just before India received independence from Britain August 15, 1947.
The flag was designed by Pingali Venkayya, a freedom fighter from Andhra Pradesh.
The first time the Indian flag was hoisted was at Parsi Bagan Square in Kolkata (then Calcutta) August 7, 1906.
The Indian national flag carries the design of an Ashoka Chakra in navy blue with 24 equally spaced spokes
The saffron in the flag represents courage and sacrifice while white represents truth, peace and purity. Green represents prosperity while the Ashok Chakra represents the Laws of Dharma (righteousness)
The first time the Indian national flag was hoisted on Mount Everest was 29 May 1953 by legendary mountaineer Tenzing Norgay.
Indian civilians were not allowed to hoist the flag before the year 2002 except on Independence Day and Republic Day. But in 2002 the Supreme Court of India amended the flag code and gave rights to all Indians to hoist the flag.
PNN
