India's 76th Independence Day: History, Meaning, Celebrations and Facts

 Four other countries celebrate their independence on August 15 along with India and Goa is the latest state to join India.

In India, August 15  is celebrated every year as Independence Day. This year, the country will celebrate its 76th Independence Day, marking 75 years since the country's independence from British rule. A special event titled “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” will be organized by the Indian government to honor freedom fighters. The program of the event will also celebrate the history, culture and achievements of the nation as a whole. 

                Let's take a look back at the history behind Independence Day and why we celebrate it.

The 76th National Day in 2022: History 

 The Indian independence movement began during World War I and  was led by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. On  August 15, 1947, India gained its freedom and 200 years of British rule finally came to an end. 

 The Indian Independence Bill was introduced in the British House of Commons on 4 July 1947 and  passed within two weeks. It marked the end of British rule in India on 15 August 1947. It later became a free country and split into India and Pakistan. 

 Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad and Subhas Chandra Bose are some of the prominent names who have played important roles as freedom fighters and certainly more again. 

 76 National Day 2022: Significance

 India's Independence Day is considered the national holiday of the whole nation as it is a reminder that many freedom fighters have sacrificed for our freedom and  independence from British rule. . 

 National Day is generally celebrated throughout the country. Tricolor flags are raised and various cultural events are held. India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru hoisted the Indian National Flag above the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort in Delhi on 15 August 1947 and since then it has been a continued tradition with the incoming Prime Minister. discharge the flag and speak to the country.

The 76th National Day in 2022: Interesting Facts

• The song "Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata" was composed in 1911 by Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore and  renamed "Jana Gana Mana". It was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India as the national anthem on 24 January 1950.
• The Indian  flag was flown on  August 7, 1906 at Parsee Bagan Square in Kolkata. The first variant of the Indian flag was designed by freedom fighter Pingali Venkayya in 1921. The current flag was officially adopted on 22 July 1947.
• Four other countries  celebrate Independence Day on August 15  along with India - Bahrain, North Korea, South Korea and Liechtenstein.
• The Indian flag is manufactured and supplied from a local location. The Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha (KKGSS), located at Dharwad in Karnataka, has the authority to manufacture and supply  Indian  flags. The flag is  only hand-spun and woven with  khadi cotton.
• After India's independence, Goa remained a Portuguese colony only to be annexed  by the Indian army in 1961. Thus, Goa was the last state to join the Indian territory.