--- type: LearningResource title: "National Symbols of India: Pride of Our Nation" canonical: "https://www.easy2crack.com/study-materials/indian-gk/national-symbols-of-india-pride-of-our-nation-YJ1KyAP8" subject: Indian GK format: null free: true updated: null tags: ["study-material", "notes", "indian-gk"] --- # National Symbols of India: Pride of Our Nation ## National Symbols of India ## National Flag: Tiranga - Design: Horizontal tricolor of deep saffron (Kesaria) at the top (represents courage), white in the middle (purity), and dark green at the bottom (fertility) in equal proportions. - Proportions: The ratio of the width of the flag to its length is 2:3. - Ashoka Chakra: In the center of the white band is a navy blue wheel (Dharma Chakra or Wheel of Law) featuring 24 spokes. - Adoption: Adopted in its present form by the Constituent Assembly on July 22, 1947, as the official flag of the Dominion of India. - Designer: Designed by Pingali Venkayya of Andhra Pradesh, based on the Swaraj Flag. - Historical Hoistings: - Material: By law, the flag must be made of hand-spun and hand-woven Khadi cloth. - Manufacturer: Solely manufactured by the Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha since 2009. - Flag Committee: The first flag committee was headed by Dr. Rajendra Prasad. - Legal Rights: The Supreme Court declared the right to hoist the national flag a fundamental right under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution in 2002. Flag hoisting is regulated by the Flag Code of India, 2002. ## National Emblem - Origin: Adapted from the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath. - Adoption Date: January 26, 1950, when India became a republic. - Structure: Features three visible lions standing back-to-back on a circular abacus. It includes the Dharma Chakra (Wheel of Law) with a bull on the right, a horse on the left, and outlines of other wheels on the extreme sides. - Motto: "Satyameva Jayate" (Truth Alone Triumphs) from the Mundaka Upanishad is inscribed below the abacus in Devanagari script. ## National Anthem: Jana Gana Mana - Author & Adoption: Composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore; adopted by the Constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950. - First Sung: December 27, 1911, at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress. - Structure: Consists of 5 stanzas. The first stanza forms the full version of the National Anthem. - Timing: Playing time for the full version is approximately 52 seconds; a short version (first and last lines) is played on certain occasions and takes approximately 20 seconds. - Translation & Music: Translated into English by Rabindranath Tagore in 1919 under the title "Morning Song of India". The musical notation was set in Madanapalle, and Ram Singh Thakuri composed the popular orchestral version. - First Publication: Published in January 1912 under the title "Bharat Vidhata" in Tattwabodhini Patrika. ## National Song: Vande Mataram - Author & Adoption: Composed in Sanskrit by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee; officially adopted as the National Song on January 24, 1950. It holds equal status with the National Anthem. - First Sung: First sung in a political context by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 Indian National Congress session. - Source & Translation: Sourced from Bankim Chandra's novel Anandamath (1882). Translated into English prose by Sri Aurobindo Ghose in 1909. ## National Animal - Species: Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris). It replaced the Lion as the national animal in 1972. - Conservation: "Project Tiger" was launched in April 1973 to safeguard the species. ## National Bird - Species: Indian Peacock (Pavo cristatus). Symbolizes beauty, pride, and holiness. Associated with Lord Murugan in Hinduism and resurrection in Christianity. ## National Flower - Species: Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). Adopted in 1950, it symbolizes fertility, knowledge, prosperity, honor, longevity, and purity. ## National Fruit - Species: Mango (Mangifera indica), often referred to as the "King of Fruits". ## National Tree - Species: Banyan Tree (Ficus benghalensis). Chosen for its ability to grow new aerial roots over a large area, symbolizing immortality. ## National Aquatic Animal - Species: Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica). It represents the purity of the Ganga as it survives only in freshwater. ## National Currency - Name: Indian Rupee (ISO code: INR), controlled by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). - Symbol: The symbol '₹' combines the Devanagari letter 'र' and the Latin capital letter 'R' without its vertical bar. It was designed by D. Udaya Kumar and adopted in 2010. Coins with this symbol were launched on July 8, 2011. - Awareness: The RBI launched the website "Paisa Bolta Hai" to raise awareness about counterfeit currency. ## National Game - Status: Field Hockey is traditionally recognized as the national game, celebrated for India's historic run of 8 Olympic gold medals. ## National Calendar - System: Saka Calendar (epoch starting in 78 AD). Adopted alongside the Gregorian Calendar on March 22, 1957. The first month is Chaitra, and the last is Phalguna. ## National Heritage Animal - Species: Indian Elephant (Elephas maximus indicus). ## National Monument - Name: India Gate, originally named the All India War Memorial. Located in New Delhi and designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens (completed in 1931). ## National River - Name: Ganga (The Ganges). --- Source: https://www.easy2crack.com/study-materials/indian-gk/national-symbols-of-india-pride-of-our-nation-YJ1KyAP8 Site: https://www.easy2crack.com · Machine index: https://www.easy2crack.com/llms.txt · MCP: https://www.easy2crack.com/mcp