Independence Day

1. 15 August is celebrated as the Independence Day of India. On 15 August 1947, India got its independence from the British rule and was declared as a sovereign nation. The day is celebrated throughout the country commemorating Indias independence from the British. The independence was achieved following a massive independence movement mostly noted for peaceful non violent resistance and civil disobedience movements led by the Indian National Congre .....

Different types of celebrations on Independence Day

2. Children have a different perspective. They like this day because they get sweets and holiday after flag hoisting in their schools. The National Flag is hoisted by the Prime Minister of India on the ramparts of the Red Fort, Delhi after which his speech is followed. Other politicians hoist the flag in their constituencies. Not only this, private organizations celebrate Independence Day where the seniour official hoists the flag and everyone prese .....

Why do we celebrate Independence Day

3. Everyone in India knows that India got freedom from the 300 years of British Rule at the stroke of midnight as India moved towards August 15, 1947. Many of us know even the stories of struggle for independence as well. There have been millions of lives that sacrificed for this freedom and many of them are not even known or remembered.The most important thing is that we remember and pay homage to these legends on this auspicious day. It is importa .....

Achievements since Independence

4. When we talk about the achievements since independence, we need to mention advancement in science and technology in various fields. Today India is independent in manufacturing and producing many technical and industrial goods. We can take pride in the space technology and development in this field. There has been development and improvement in the infrastructure when we compare India before and after more than 60 years of independence.However, al .....

Why 1947

5. The awakening of masses by Gandhi and the activities of Bose behind the scenes (of strengthening Indian National Army) which had intensified during 1940s were already a cause of concern for the British.By the time the World War II had come to an end in 1945, the British were financially weak (sources indicate they were in the verge of bankruptcy) and were struggling to rule their own country, let alone their colonies. The victory of Labour party .....

Why 15th Aug

6. It was Lord Mountbatten who had personally decided the date of Aug 15 because he had considered that date to be very lucky for his career. During the World War II, it was on Aug 15, 1945 (Japan timezone) that the Japanese Army had surrendered before him (Lord Mountbatten was the commander of the allied forces). .....

Why midnight

7. When the date of independence was decided in June 3 plan and announced to public, there was an outrage among astrologers across the country because 15 Aug 1947 was an unfortunate & unholy date according to astrological calculations. Alternative dates were suggested but Lord Mountbatten was adamant on Aug 15 (since it was his lucky date). As a workaround, the astrologers suggested the midnight hour between Aug 14 and 15 due to the simple reason th .....

History

8. In 1947, after the World War II, Britain could see that it no longer could hold its power over India. It was becoming increasingly difficult and Indian freedom fighters were in no mood to give up. With the international support also coming to an end, Britain decided to relive India from their power but not before June 1948. However, the impending independence more so enhanced the violence between Hindus and Muslims in the provinces of Punjab and .....

Celebrations this day

9. The day is celebrated to commemorate the birth of the worlds biggest democracy as a national holiday. All the schools and colleges across nation hoist the national flag on the rooftops and the buildings to symbolize the stature of the national flag as nations pride. Not only the educational institutions but also offices and business areas celebrate this day. Since it is declared a national holiday by the government of India, all the institutions, .....

Cultural programs

10. The Independence Day in India is celebrated every year on the 15th of August in honor of the birthday of the nation. On 15th August 1947, India achieved her independence from British rule and became a sovereign nation.On the eve of 15th August 1947, India tricolor (saffron, green and white) flag was first hoisted by Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, at the Red Fort of Delhi.Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now .....

Public life

11. Independence Day is a gazetted holiday in India on August 15 each year. National, state and local government offices, post offices and banks are closed on this day. Stores and other businesses and organizations may be closed or have reduced opening hours.Public transport is usually unaffected as many locals travel for celebrations but there may be heavy traffic and increased security in areas where there are celebrations. Independence Day flag ra .....

Background

12. The struggle for Indias Independence began in 1857 with the Sepoy Mutiny in Meerut. Later, in the 20th century, the Indian National Congress and other political organizations, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, launched a countrywide independence movement. Colonial powers were transferred to India on August 15, 1947.The Constituent Assembly, to who power was to be transferred, met to celebrate Indias independence at 11pm on August 14, 1947. .....

Symbols

13. The sport of kite flying symbolizes Independence Day. The skies are dotted with countless kites flown from rooftops and fields to symbolize Indias free spirit of India. Kites of various styles, sizes and shades, including the tricolor are available in the marketplaces. The Red Fort in Dehli is also an important Independence Day symbol in India as it is where Indian Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru unveiled Indias flag on August 15, 1947.Indias na .....

What do people do

14. Independence Day is a day when people in India pay homage to their leaders and those who fought for Indias freedom in the past. The period leading up to Independence Day is a time when major government buildings are illuminated with strings of lights and the tricolor flutters from homes and other buildings. Broadcast, print and online media may have special contests, programs, and articles to promote the day. Movies about Indias freedom fighters .....

The Voice of Freedom from the archive

15. Awake to freedom Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially.Jawaharlal NehruAt the stroke of midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, then an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utter .....

National Song

16. Designated as the National Song of India, Vande Mataram had three great minds working over it. It required the genius of Bankimchandra Chattyopaddhay to pen the beautiful verses of Vande Mataram, the flair of Rabindranath Tagore to set it to a glorious tune and the skill of Shri Aurobindo Ghosh to render it in English with the essence of the song intact. Go over the Sanskrit lyrics of Vande Mataram, as well as its English translation. Read the in .....

As the Freedom Dawns

17. he countdown had started much earlier. It was on February 26, 1947, when the British Government made an important announcement of policy. It declared, its intention to quit India by June, 1948, and appointed Lord Mountbatten Viceroy of India to arrange for the transfer of authority from British to Indian hands. This momentous declaration had already evoked hearty enthusiasm all over India. Mountbatten assumed office on 24th March, 1947, and on 3r .....

Immediate background

18. In 1946, the Labour government in Britain, its exchequer exhausted by the recently concluded World War II, realised that it had neither the mandate at home, the international support, nor the reliability of native forces for continuing to control an increasingly restless India In February 1947, Prime Minister Clement Attlee announced that the British government would grant full self governance to British India by June 1948 at the latest. The new .....

Partition and independence

19. Millions of Muslim, Sikh, and Hindu refugees trekked across the newly drawn borders in the months surrounding independence. In Punjab, where the borders divided the Sikh regions in halves, massive bloodshed followed; in Bengal and Bihar, where Mahatma Gandhis presence assuaged communal tempers, the violence was mitigated. In all, between 250,000 and 1,000,000 people on both sides of the new borders died in the violence. While the entire nation wa .....

Security threats

20. As early as three years after independence, the Naga National Council called for a boycott of Independence Day in the northeast. Separatist protests in this region intensified in the 1980s; calls for boycotts and terrorist attacks by insurgent organisations such as the United Liberation Front of Assam and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, marred celebrations. With increasing insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir from the late 1980s, separatist .....

In popular culture

21. On Independence Day and Republic Day, patriotic songs in Hindi and regional languages are broadcast on television and radio channels. They are also played alongside flag hoisting ceremonies. Patriotic films are broadcast. Over the decades, according to The Times of India, the number of such films broadcast has decreased as channels report that audiences are oversaturated with patriotic films.The population cohort that belong to the Generation Nex .....