Jawaharlal Nehru did not hoist India’s first tricolour at Red Fort on August 15, 1947 - Here's why
Jawaharlal Nehru actually hoisted the flag at the Red Fort on August 16, 1947. Nehru then delivered his first Independence Day speech, in which he called himself the Pratham Sewak of India, according to official records.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag before addressing the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort marking India's 80th Independence Day on Saturday.
The Independence Day celebrations on 15th August are synonymous with the unfurling of the national flag by the Prime Minister on the Red Fort, in Delhi since India got freedom.
But Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, did not unfurl the national flag at Red Fort on August 15, 1947.
Quick answers to key questions
Jawaharlal Nehru did not hoist the national flag at Red Fort on August 15, 1947, because the flag was first unfurled at the midnight Constituent Assembly session. The official hoisting at Red Fort was scheduled for August 16, 1947.
During the midnight session of the Constituent Assembly on August 14-15, 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru delivered his famous 'Tryst with Destiny' speech, marking the moment of India's independence.
The first flag hoistings on India's Independence Day occurred at Fort St. George in Chennai at dawn and at Princess Park near India Gate in New Delhi, before the official hoisting at Red Fort on August 16, 1947.
The delay in the official flag hoisting at the Red Fort was due to the need for time to arrange for administrative processes after the transition of power, which led to scheduling it for August 16, 1947.
The hoisting of the flag at the Red Fort symbolizes Indian independence and national pride, becoming a significant element of the annual Independence Day celebrations since Nehru's flag hoisting on August 16, 1947.
Instead, on August 15, 1947, India's national flag was first unfurled at the midnight Constituent Assembly session in New Delhi, followed by official hoistings at Princess Park near India Gate, at Fort St. George in Chennai at dawn, and internationally at India House in London.
Jawaharlal Nehru actually hoisted the flag at the Red Fort on August 16, 1947. Nehru then delivered his first Independence Day speech, in which he called himself the Pratham Sewak of India.
Why India Gate and not Red Fort?
India's independence actually came into effect at midnight between August 14 and 15, 1947.
The Constituent Assembly held its historic midnight session, where Jawaharlal Nehru delivered his famous “Tryst with Destiny” speech as India ushered into freedom.
The transition of power required time for official administrative arrangements. So the historic flag-hoisting and address from the ramparts of the Red Fort were scheduled for August 16, 1947, according to official records.
And the national flag hoisted at other easily available spaces.
“Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, unfurled the national flag for the first time on the Red Fort on August 16, 1947. Since then the hoisting of the tricolour atop the Red Fort has become a symbol of Indian independence and our pride,” an earlier statement by Minister of Defence said.
The flag hoisting on August 15, 1947
-August 15, 1947: At 5.30 A.M, Pandit Nehru hoisted and hosted the flag at Fort St. George, Chennai.
-August 15, 1947 (Afternoon): Then Pandit Nehru hosted the Tiranga for the first time in public at a place then called Princess Park near India Gate in New Delhi.
-August 16, 1947 (Morning): Jawaharlal Nehru hosted the flag at Red Fort, Delhi, as per official records.
Fort St. George Museum flag preserved
The 12 feet long 8 feet wide national treasure in Fort St. George Museum in Chennai is one of the first flag that was hoisted on August 15, 1947.
“The flag is the testament of the entire struggle that Indians went through to achieve freedom. It is made up of pure silk and measures about 3.50m length and 2.40m wide. The flag was hoisted on 15th august 1947 at 5.30 A.M in Fort St. George,” reads a government statement in 2024.
About the Author
Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.
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