Iconic Flag of 1947 Displayed at Fort St. George

• 14 Aug 2024

Source: PIB

The Fort St. George Museum in Chennai displays a 12x8 feet Indian flag, one of the first hoisted on 15th August 1947, and the only surviving flag from that date. 

• Made of pure silk, it symbolises India's freedom struggle and is part of the Indian Independence Gallery.

Evolution of the Indian Flag:

• The first national flag was hoisted on 7^th August 1906 in Calcutta, featuring red, yellow, and green stripes. 
• In 1921, Pingali Venkayya designed a flag with red and green stripes, with Gandhi later added a white stripe and spinning wheel. 
• The current tricolour was adopted on 22^nd July 1947.

Fort St. George:

• It was established in 1639 in Chennai. It is the first English fortification in India. 

• It was briefly under French control from 1746 to 1749 and later returned to the British by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) after 1^st Carnatic War.

• It serves as an administrative hub for Tamil Nadu's legislative assembly and houses a garrison. 

• The Fort Museum, maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), showcases relics from the Raj era, including portraits of Madras Governors.

Read More: National Flag Day: Commemorating India's Journey Towards Independence