Greetings on Independence Day
This is our 67th Independence Day !! Greetings to Indians all over the world on this very special Day !!
Freedom is not only Right but a Feeling !!
Let’s be proud to feel the Freedom and celebrate it with enthusiasm !!
15 AUGUST - THE INDEPENDENCE DAY
- Vijay Navlakha
The ‘Land of Gods’ never needs a particular reason to celebrate. Celebration is a fundamental part of every Indian’s life, 31 States, 1618 Language, 6400 Castes, 6 Religion, 6 Ethnic Groups, 29 Major festivals, 1 Country INDIA. From January to December, every month comes with a particular fair or festival. Makar Sankranti , Pongal , Republic Day , Basanta Panchami , Maha Shivaratri , Holi , Good Friday, Gudi Padava , Ram Navami , Mahavir Jayanti, Buddha Purnima , Rath Yatra, Id ul Fitr, Independence Day, Parsi New Year, Raksha Bandhan, Janamashtami , Ganesh Chaturthi , Onam , Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti, Navratra, Durga puja, Dashehra, Id ul Zuha (Bakrid) , Diwali, Muharram, Guru Nanak Jayanti and Christmas; the festival of every religion has a significance and it is celebrated in a boisterous way.
15 AUGUST
August 15 is the 227th day of the year (228th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, There are 138 days remaining until the end of the year but we 1.241 billion (2011) Indians are celebrating every year 15th of August in honour of the birthday of our Nation, on this special occasion, we Indians pay to rich tributes to our freedom fighters, who sacrificed their lives and fought to free their motherland.
FLASH BACK
The struggle for India's Independence began in 1857 with the First struggle for freedom by the Sepoy in Meerut. Later, in the 20th century, the Indian National Congress and other political organizations, under the leadership of Gandhi, launched a countrywide independence movement. Colonial powers were transferred to India on August 15, 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 to the constituent assembly; India gained its liberty and became a free country at midnight between August 14 and August 15, 1947. It was then that the free India's first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru gave his famous "Tryst with Destiny" speech. People across India are reminded of the meaning of this event - that it marked the start of a new era of deliverance from the British colonialism that took place in India for more than 200 years.
FACTS
The fateful date of 15th August Indian Independence Day was decided by the last Viceroy and first Governor General of India - Louis Mountbatten. He Chose August 15 since it was the same day that Japan Broadcast of the Imperial Rescript on surrenders At 12:00 noon Japan standard time , the Emperor's recorded speech to the nation, reading the Imperial Rescript on the Termination of the War, was broadcasted in 1945 at the end of World War II. (Mountbatten was a naval officer prior to his Indian post and was supreme commander of allied forces in South East Asia). Another interesting fact on why India celebrated Independence in Midnight rather than in the morning. When August 15 was announced, astrologers around India raised hue and cry that August 15 was not an auspicious day. So Indian Leaders arranged a compromise when the Independence Day was celebrated at Midnight - since a day under Hindu customs begins only after sunrise.
AGENDA OF INDEPENDENCE DAY FOR THE FIRST GOVERNMENT
On 15th August 1947 the, the Independence of India, first item on the agenda was the swearing-in of the Governor General Lord Mountbatten, and day’s other programme was as following:
08.30 am Swearing in of governor general and ministers at Government House
09.40 am Procession of ministers to Constituent Assembly
09.50 am State drive to Constituent Assembly
09.55 am Royal salute to governor general
10.30 am Hoisting of national flag at Constituent Assembly
10.35 am State drive to Government House
06.00 pm Flag ceremony at India Gate
07.00 pm Illuminations
07.45 pm Fireworks display
08.45 pm Official dinner at Government House
10.15 pm Reception at Government House In all the programme Mhatma Gandhi himself took no part in the all official events. Instead, he marked the day with a 24-hour fast, during which he spoke to a crowd in Calcutta, encouraging peace between Hindu & Muslim.
CABINET SWEARING-IN ON INDEPENDENCE DAY WAS FIRST MILI-JULI SARKAR
Apart from first Prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, 13 other Ministers sworn to hold the office on first Independence Day of India. These included the nationalist stalwarts Sardar Vallabhbhai patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and four other Congress politicians of the younger generation. Gandhiji had reminded Congress that, “Freedom comes to India not to the Congress”, urging the formation of a Cabinet including the ablest men regardless of party affiliation. So the cabinet included those persons too, who were not from the congress. These included two representative of world of commerce and one representative of the Sikh community. There were three others in the cabinet who were always the adversaries of Congress. These were R.K. Shanmukham Chetty, Madras businessmen who possessed one of the best financial minds in India; Dr.B.R. Ambedkar, a brilliant legal scholar and an ‘Untouchable’ by caste; and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, a leading Bengal politician who belonged to the Hindu Mahasabha.
The first cabinet of India was ecumenical in ways other than the political. Its members came from as many as five religious denominations (with a couple of atheist), and from all parts of India. There was a woman, Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur, as well as two from socially unprivileged community and believed to be ‘untouchables’, just because of their caste.
FIRST FLAG HOISTING ON RED FORT
The first Independence Day Flag hoisting Ceremony was performed at India Gate not at Red Fort, Tiranga was hoisted for the first time on the ramparts of the Red Fort on the morning of Saturday at 8.30 a.m. August16 by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. It was from 1948 onwards that the Flag hoisting ceremony was started at the Red Fort on every Independence Day.
PHILETELIC ACTIVITIES IN 15 AUGUST
Some interesting activities were happened only on the 15th August in the Indian Philatelic History is as follows:
15 August 1947, The Jai Hind Post-mark was the first commemorative postmark of Independent India, and was issued on the day of independence.
15 August 1947, the first time private postal labels were used, (10 types and 10 different colours total 100 types)in that Jay Hind in Hindi and English , Azad Hua,15 August 1947 slogan used .
15 August 1947, The Jai Hind bilingual Post Mark was the first commemorative postmark of Independent India, and was issued on the day of independence.
The attainment of Independence on 15th August 1947 ushered in a new era in the Philatelic History of the Country, though there was some delay in the preparation of the three Commemorative Stamps planned for the event. The P&T Department, however, come out with a large Cachet post mark with the slogan "Jai Hind" for the occasion, and letters mailed at the major post offices in the country were cancelled with post mark for a few weeks beginning 15th August 1947. The post mark was withdrawn on 31 December 1947 but reintroduced at Girdikot Post Office, Jodhpur in June 1948. Most of the postmarks issued after 31 December 1947 are from this post office. The mark was withdrawn from Girdikot in April 1949, but was reused in June 1949 in Jodhpur Post Office in a new format of a rectangular box measuring 51 mm x 26 mm which reads "Jai Hind" in English and Hindi in two lines, with the date, time and place in 3rd, 4th and 5th line respectively. The time and date are flanked with 3 wavy lines on each side. It was used as a cancellation mark. It remained in use until November 1955.
The alphabets of the word "JAI HIND" in English and Hindi, varies from 61 mm to 67 mm, and the width varies from 11½mm to 15 mm. The cachet is also known to have been used on the special Independence Commemorative Stamps, issued later in the year. "Jai Hind" Slogans were used from the following Post offices/towns:
| Post office | Length (MM) | Height (MM) | Date of Cancellation |
| Ahmednagar | 65? | 12? | 02.09.1947 |
| Alibag | 62? | 12? | 17.08.1947 |
| Amritsar | 65 | 12 | ? |
| Bara Bazar (Calcutta) | 61 | 14? | 23.08.1947 |
| Bareily | 62? | 13 | 15.08.1947 |
| Baroda | 65 | 13 | 13.09.1947 |
| Barrackpore | 62 | 11? | ? |
| Bhavnager | 62? | 13 | 15.08.1947 |
| Bhopal | ? | 11? | 04.09.1947 |
| Bijapur | 64 | 14? | ? |
| Bijnor | 63? | 14? | 25.11.1947 |
| Bikaneer | 62 | 13 | ? |
| Bombay GPO | 67 | 14? | 15.08.1947 |
| Bulandshahr | 63 | 13 | 09.09.1947 |
| Calcutta GPO | 63 | 13 | 15.08.1947 |
| Chapra | ? | 3? | 05.09.1947 |
| Chikmagalur | 64 | 14? | 30.08.1947 |
| Cooch Behar | 64 | 13 | 05.02.1959 |
| Delhi | 65 | 14 | ? |
| Dhanbad | 63 | 12 | 03.09.1947 |
| Dharwar | 65? | 14? | 24.08.1947 |
| Etar (si) | ? | 15 | 21.08.1947 |
| Fetehpur | 64 | 13 | 17.09.1947 |
| Gaya | 63 | 12? | 19.08.1947 |
| Girdikot (Jodhpur) | 63 | 13 | 22.10.1948 |
| Girgaon (Bombay) | 63 | 15 | 16.08.1947 |
| Hissar | 64 | 12 | 23.08.1948 |
| Hoshiarpur | 64 | 13 | ? |
| Hyderabad (Deccan) | 64 | 12 | 15.08.1947 |
| Jaunpur | 64 | 13 | 03.09.1947 |
| Jodhpur | 64 | 14 | 28.08.1947 |
| Kalbadevi (Bombay) | 62 | 14? | 06.09.1947 |
| Kotah | 62 | 14? | 15.08.1947 |
| Kumbakonam | 63 | 11? | 11.09.1947 |
| Laharia Sarai | 63? | 12 | 02.09.1947 |
| Madras GPO | 62 | 14 | 15.08.1947 |
| MujaffarNager | 62 | 13? | 17.09.1947 |
| Neemuch | 64 | 14 | ? |
| New Delhi | 62? | 12? | 15.08.1947 |
| New Delhi GHQ | 66 | 13 | 15.08.1947 |
| Nowgong (Assam) | 64 | 12? | 15.09.1947 |
| Purnea | 63? | 13? | 15.08.1947 |
| Rajkot | 63 | 12? | 02.09.1947 |
| Ranchi | 63 | 13 | 04.09.1947 |
| Sambhar Lake | 62 | 14 | 26.08.1947 |
| Sangrur | 63 | 14 | 20.08.1947 |
| Saugor | 64 | 12 | ? |
| Sholapur | 63 | 13 | 21.08.1947 |
| Simla | 63 | 13 | 18.08.1947 |
| Trivandrum | ? | 12 | 02.09.1947 |
15th August 1948, The P&T Department, opened Nine Philatelic Bureaux- Vide Postal Notice No. 31 dated 06.08.1948: 1 Calcutta G.P.O. - 700 00(Kolkata), 2 Cuttack G.P.O.- 753001, 3 Lucknow - 226 001, 4 Madras - 600 002 (Chennai), 5 Nagpur - 440 001, 6 New Delhi -110 001, 7 Patna - 800 001, 8 Shillong - 793 001, 9 Simla -171 001 (Shimla),
15th August 1948, Gandhiji stamps issued on first anniversary of independence were the First stamps to be printed by a foreign printer, First Mourning stamps of India, First Specimen stamps of India, First Service stamps of India,First Perfins (perforated initials) found on 1 ½ Anna stamp, as a First commemorative stamps of India.
15th August 1972, The P&T Department was Introduced Postal Index Number (pin) in six digits.
PHILETELIC AND NUMESMETIC ISSUES IN 15 AUGUST
15th August in different years India Post issued 31 Commemorative, 18 Definitive and 4 Service stamps list as follows:
Commemorative Stamps
15 August 1948 1st Anniversary of Independence Gandhi Mourning Issue (Set of 4)
Mahatma Gandhi 1½anna Personality
Mahatma Gandhi 3½ anna Personality
Mahatma Gandhi 12 anna Personality
Mahatma Gandhi 10 Rs Personality
15 August 1957 Centenary of The First Struggle for Freedom (Set of 2)
Rani Lakshmibai 15np Event
Sapling and Leaping Flames 90np Event
15 August 1962 Ramabai Ranade Birth Centenary 15np Personality
15 August 1963 Defence Campaign They Defend (Set of 2Stamps) They Defend 15np Defence
They Defend 1Rs Defence
15 August 1964 Sri Aurobindo 92nd Birth Anniversary 15p Personality
15 August 1965 Indian Mount Everest Expedition 15p Event
15 August 1972 Sri Aurobindo Birth Centenary 20p Personality
15 August 1972 25th Anniversary of Independence 20p Event
15 August 1972 Independence Greetings to Armed Forces 20p Defence
15 August 1973 Homage to Gandhi and Nehru on 25th Anniversary of Independence 20p Personality
15 August 1976 Param Vir Chakra 25 Defence
15 August 1979 Raja Mahendra Pratap 30 Personality
15 August 1987 40th Anniversary of Independence 60 Event
15 August 1997 50th Anniversary of Swatantra Bharat 200 Event
15 August 1997 India's Struggle for Freedom Three INA Stalwarts 200 Personality
15 August 1998 Homage to Martyrs-Golden Jubilee of Independence Se-tenant Set of 2
Homage to Martyrs 300 Event
Homage to Martyrs 800 Event
15 August 1999Heroes of Struggle for Freedom - Set of 4
Sardar Ajit Singh 300 Personality
Swami Ramanand Teerth 300 Personality
Vishwambhar Dayalu Tripathi 300 Personality
Swami Keshawanand 300 Personality
15 August 2000Socio and Political Leaders Se-tenant - Set of 4
Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit 300 Personality
R. Srinivasan 300 Personality
Jaglal Choudhary 300 Personality
Radha Gobinda Baruah 300 Personality
15 August 2006 Ma Po Sivagnanam 500 Personality
Definitive Stamps
15 August 1949 Ajanta Cave Panel- Gray violet 3Pies Definitive
Konark Horse- Red brown 6Pies Definitive
Trimurti- Green 9Pies Definitive
Bodhisattva Die I- Turquoise 1Anna Definitive
Nataraja- Carmine 2Anna Definitive
Sanchi Stupa, East Gate-Red orange 3Anna Definitive
Mahabodhi Temple (Bodh gaya)- Ultramarine 3½Anna Definitive
Lingraj Temple,Bhuvanesvra- Brown lake 4Anna Definitive
Tomb of Muhammad Adil Shah,Bijapur(Gol Gumbad)- Purple 6Anna Definitive
Kandarya Mahadeva Temple- Blue green 8Anna Definitive
Golden Temple Blue12AnnaDefinitive Blue 12Anna Definitive
Victory Tower -Chittorgarh- Green & purple 1Rs Definitive
Red Fort- Purple & Rose red 2Rs Definitive
Taj Mahal- Brown carmine & Dark green 5Rs Definitive
Qutb Minar- Deep blue & Brown carmine 10Rs Definitive
Qutb Minar- Blue & Brown carmine 10Rs Definitive
Satrunjaya Temple,Palitana- Deep carmine & Dark brown 15Rs Definitive
15 August 1965 Tea Plucking-Dark yellow green 15P Definitive Service Stamps
15 August 1948Mahatma Gandhi Over Printed Service 1½Anna Service
15 August 1948Mahatma Gandhi Over Printed Service 3½Anna Service
15 August 1948Mahatma Gandhi Over Printed Service 12Anna Service
15 August 1948 Mahatma Gandhi Over Printed Service 10Rs Service
August15, India Mint Issued 1 Set of regular coins and 9 Different Commemorative sets of coins issued in different years :
15th August 1950, On the third anniversary of Indian Independence was the occasion when Indian government decided to do away with the vestiges of foreign rule and adopt Indian symbols. Denominations of one paisa, half anna, one anna, two anna, quarter rupee, half rupee and one rupee were issued.
15th August 1972, On the occasion of 25TH anniversary of Indian Independence Mumbai mint issued set of commemorative coins, denominations are 1 p,2p,3p,5p,10p,25p,50p,1 Rs and 10 Rs.
15th August 1973, On the occasion of Indian Independence Mumbai mint issued set of commemorative coins, which was called “Grow More Food” development oriented coins, denomination are 1p, 2p, 3p, 5p, 10p, 25p,50p,1 Rs,10 Rs and 20 Rs.
15th August 1974, On the occasion of Indian Independence Mumbai mint issued set of commemorative coins, which was called “Planned Families - Food for All ” development oriented coins, denomination are 1p, 2p, 3p, 5p, 10p, 25p, 50p, 1 Rs, 10 Rs and 50 Rs.
15th August 1975, On the occasion of Indian Independence Mumbai mint issued set of commemorative coins, which was called “Equality, Development, Peace ” development oriented coins, denomination are 1p, 2p, 3p, 5p, 10p, 25p, 50p,1 Rs,10 Rs and 50 Rs.
15th August 1976, On the occasion of Indian Independence Mumbai mint issued set of commemorative coins, which was called “Food, & Work for All ” development oriented coins, denomination are 1p, 2p, 3p, 5p, 10p, 25p, 50p,1 Rs,10 Rs and 50 Rs.
15th August 1977, On the occasion of Indian Independence Mumbai mint issued set of commemorative coins, which was called “Save for Development” development oriented coins, denomination are 1p, 2p, 3p, 5p, 10p, 25p, 50p,1 Rs,10 Rs and 50 Rs.
15th August 1978, On the occasion of Indian Independence Mumbai mint issued set of commemorative coins, which was called “Food, & Shelter for All” development oriented coins, denomination are 1p, 2p, 3p, 5p, 10p, 25p, 50p,1 Rs,10 Rs and 50 Rs.
15th August 1979, On the occasion of Indian Independence Mumbai mint issued set of commemorative coins, which was called “Happy Child – Nation’s Pride ” development oriented coins, denomination are 1p, 2p, 3p, 5p, 10p, 25p, 50p,1 Rs,10 Rs and 50Rs.
15th August 1997, On the occasion of 50th Indian Independence (1947-1997) Mumbai mint issued set of 2 commemorative coins denomination are 50p and 50Rs.
FAMOUS HAPPENINGS IN INDIA on 15 AUGUST
15th August, 1854 The first passenger train steamed out of Howrah station destined for Hooghly, a distance of 24 miles, first section of the East Indian Railway was opened to public traffic, inaugurating the beginning of railway transport on the Eastern side of the sub-continent the company ran regular services, morning and evening, between Howrah and Hugli with stops at Bally, Srerampore and Chandannagar. The fare ranged from Rs.3 by first class to 7 annas by third class. The main booking office was on the Calcutta bank, at the Armenian Ghat, and the fare covered the ferry to the station. At the Howrah end, the station consisted of a tin shed and a single line flanked by narrow platforms, somewhat to the south of the present station building constructed between 1901 and 1906.
15th August, 1975 the railways in Bollywood, trains have played a colorful cameo in some of the biggest Hindi films ever. The 1975 action blockbuster 'Sholay' had a first-of-its-kind train robbery scene that supposedly took seven weeks to shoot.
15 August 1985, The Assam Accord was a Memorandum of Settlement (MOS) signed between representatives of the Government of India and the leaders of the Assam Movement in New Delhi .The accord brought an end to the Assam Agitation and paved the way for the leaders of the agitation to form a political party and form a government in the state of Assam soon after.
15 August 1997 the scheme of Balika Samridhi Yojana, was launched by Govt. of India with the following objectives:-
1. To change negative family and community attitudes towards the girl child at birth and towards her mother.
2. To improve enrolment and retention of girl children in schools.
3. To rise the age at marriage of girls.
4. To assist the girl to undertake income generating activities.
FAMOUS BIRTH AND DEATH IN 15 AUGUST
15th August, 1872, Sri Aurobindo (Ghosh) was born on this day; he was known as a religious teacher and founder of the famous Ashram, named after him, at Pondicherry, he passed away on December 5, 1950.
15th August, 1942, Mahadev Desai died of a massive heart-attack at the age of 50.He was born on January 1, 1892 was an Indian independence activist and nationalist writer; he was known for being the personal secretary of Mahatma Gandhi.
- Vijay Navlakha – email : vijay@navlakha.com
Acknowledgements and References:
- Essays on freedom movement by Raj Kumar
The different Wiki articles.
- Our national Flag by Lt Cdr. KV Singh
Vande mataram.com article
- Dak Bharti – 2004 article by A.K. Bayanwala
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