Top 10 shocking facts to know about India's Independence

On 15th Aug 1947, India gained independence from the United Kingdom and seven decades. Later people are still unaware of certain stories that shed new light on what happened at that time. There are shocking truths that add an interesting layer of detail to the tales we've heard about the country over the years. India has always been a peace-maker. India has never invaded any country in her last 1,00,000 years of history.

Today on the occasion  of Independence Day, we present you top 10 shocking facts about India's independence. We may think we know everything there is to know about India's independence....but do we really ?

Top 10 shocking facts about India's independence

1) Names for India

The Republic of India has two principal short names in both official and popular English usage, each of which is historically significant, "India" and "Bharat". The name "India" is originally derived from the name of the river Sindhu (Indus River) and has been in use in Greek since Herodotus (4th century BCE). The term appeared in Old English as early the 9th century and reemerged in Modern English in the 17th century. The Sanskrit name of the country is "Bharat Ganarajya" 

2) Hindi: Our National Language?

According to the Constitution of India, any language, accepted by a State of India as its official language will be given the status of national language. In India, no language is accepted or spoken by the States unanimously. Even Hindi, the language spoken by most people, is unable to attain the status of national language as it does not fulfill the condition laid down by the Constitution of India. Though Hindi is spoken by a large number of people, only ten States of India have accepted it as their official language. Article 343 of the Constitution declares Hindi as the official language of the Union of India. English remains the additional official language.

Also Read: Independence Day Special: "Partition of India" the unlearnt lesson explanation.

3) First National Flag

The first national flag in India is said to have been hoisted on August 7, 1906, in the Parsee Bagan Square (Green Park) in Calcutta now Kolkata. The flag was composed of three horizontal strips of red, yellow and green.

4) Indian Flag made up of

The design and manufacturing process for the national flag is regulated by three documents issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Khadi or hand-spun cloth is the only material allowed to be used for the flag, and flying a flag made of any other material is punishable by law with imprisonment up to three years, besides a fine. Raw materials for khadi are restricted to cotton, silk and wool.

Also Read: On 74th Independence Day, Key Highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation.

5) India was undecided about national anthem at Independence

Even though India attained independence Aug 15, 1947, the country was undecided on its official national anthem on the auspicious day, an archived letter made public here Saturday has indicated. In January 1950, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted 'Jana Gana Mana' - penned by Tagore and sung for the first time Dec 27, 1911 - as the country's official national anthem. It also adopted the first two verses of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhya's 'Vande Mataram', penned in 1882, as India's national song.

6) A note about the Revolutionaries  

Indian socialist and revolutionary Bhagat Singh was a great thinker, philosopher and spoke English, French, Swedish, and Arabic fluently. Some People believe that Mahatma Gandhi could have stopped Bhagat Singh's hanging, after Singh's committed acts of violence against the British, in the pursuit of freedom. The famous slogan "Inquilab Zindabad"(long live the revolution) was raised by Batukeshwar Datt, an Indian revolutionary who was beside Bhagat Singh during the bombing of the legislative assembly in Delhi on 8 April, 1929. Many revolutionaries lost their lives in the struggle for freedom from British rule- they raised a noise that turned into a movement, the spirit of which is celebrated every year since on 15th Aug.

7) The Significance of the date 

India shares its Independence Day with North Korea, South Korea, Bahrain, and Republic of Congo. Also 15th Aug was chosen as the day of independence of India by Louis Mountbatten- the last viceroy of India. He picked the particular date because it was the same date in 1945 that Japan had surrendered to the Allied forces at the end of World War II.

8) Jammu and Kashmir would have been a part of Pakistan. Shocking, but True !  

Records state that Pakistan sent a group of tribesman into the state of Jammu and Kashmir to attack and conquer it in 1947. Lord Mountbatten also started, had Pakistan been a little patient, the state would have eventually gone to them. His quote read:"By sending it's irregular troops into the state, Pakistan spoiled the whole thing".

9) Jawaharlal Nehru wasn't elected the first Prime Minister 

Actually ,it was Sardar Patel who won the elections with majority votes. Jawaharlal Nehru didn't want a position that placed him second in command. Since Gandhi was confident in Nehru and his skills in running the nation, he was declared the first Prime Minister of India. The following years saw a confident leader and was considered as a Global Style Icon. His popular impeccable style Nehru Jacket earned him a place in Vogue Magazine.

10) Gandhi wanted the congress party  to be disbanded 

One of the strong names in the political past and present of the country, the congress party would not have existed today if Mahatma Gandhi was not assassinated. Gandhi actually wanted to dissolved the party after independence, as he believed that the INC had achieved it's aim and outlived it's purpose. On the eve of his assassination, he had already drafted a resolution about this.

So there were the 10 shocking facts about India's independence you should know about. From all of us, we wish you all a very Happy 74th Independence Day. Beyond all the flaws, India is still a great country and we should always be proud of it.