1947, 21 July: The National Flag is adopted by the Constituent Assembly

INDIAN STANDARD

SPECIFICATION FOR THE NATIONAL FLAG OF INDIA (COTTON KHADI)

National Flag Sectional Committee. TDC 8

Chairman

Mr, Bharat Ram                      Delhi Cloth and General Mills Co. Ltd., Delhi

Members

Mr. M. Krishnamurthi            Ministry of Defence, New Delhi

Mr. Dwarka Nath Lele           All- India Spinners’Association, Wardha

Mr. G.E. Longdin                   New Egerton Woolen Mills, Dhariwal

Dr. G.M. Nabar                      Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, New Delhi

Dr. N.L. Narayan                   Government of Rajasthan, Jaipur

Dr. A.V. Raman                      Minister of Homes Affairs, New Delhi

Mr. Vichirtra Naraian            Shri Gandhi Ashram, Meerut

Sharma           

Mr. Randhir Singh                 Director, Indian Standards Institution, Delhi

(Ex- Officio)

Dr. Lal C. Verman                  Director, Indian Standards Institution, Delhi

Staff

The Lt. Mr. C.P. Halkatti         Formerly Assistant Director (Textiles), ISI, Delhi

Mr. Maharaj Kishen                Assistant Director (Textiles), ISI, Delhi

Mr. T. Balakrishnan                Technical Assitant, ISI, Delhi

(All Rights Reserved)

INDIAN STANDARDS INSTITUTION

19 UNIVERSITY ROAD, CIVIL LINES

 DELHI 8

 FOREWORD                                                    (Exceprts)

            The honourable Shri Jawaharlal Nehru presented to the constituent Assembly of India on 22 July 1947, two flags, one of silk and the other of cotton khadi, specially designed and manufactured for adoption as the National Flag of India. He moved the following Resolution: “Resolved that the National Flag of India shall be a horizontal tricolour of deep saffron (Kesari), white and dark green in equal proportion. In the centre of the White Band, there shall be a wheel in Navy Blue to represent the Charkha. The design of the Wheel shall be that of the wheel (Chakra) which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Asoka. The diameter of the Wheel shall approximate to the width of the white band. The ratio of the width to the length of the Flag shall ordinarily be 2:3”

The motion was adopted, the whole Assembly standing.

            This Resolution did not purport to furnish full details regarding the quality of the cloth and other particulars required for the manufacture of Flags. Hence the necessity arose for the preparation of self- contained specifications for the National Flag of India.

            The Army Headquarters, who has issued a working drawing for the National Flag for the use of Army, suggested to the Indian Standards Institution to issue a standard for the National Flag on the basis of their requirements

            The Government of India in the mean while expressed a desire that the cloth used for the manufacture of the Flag for use of by Government should be hand-spun and hand-woven khadi. Accordingly it was decided to formulate standards of the National Flag involving the use of hand-spun and hand- woven cotton, woollen and silk fabrics.

            This standard deals only with the National Flag made of cotton khadi. Standards for national Flags made of wool and silk are being dealt with separately.

            The use of this standard  requires reference to the following Indian  Standards:

IS: 9–1949   Method of Test for Determining Shrinkage in Woven Cotton and linen Cloth on Washing    

IS: 237–1951   Method for the Determination of Cotton Yarn (of Yarn Melidity in GK)

IS: 238–1951   Method for the Determination of Twist in Cotton Yarn

IS: 240–1951   method for the Determination of Ends and Picks in Woven Cotton Fabrics

IS: 242–1951  Method for the Determination of Weight per Unit Area or Unit  Length of Cotton   Fabrics

IS: 243–1951  Method for the Determination of Breaking Load (Strength) and Extension of Woven Cotton Fabric (By Constant- Rate-Of- Traverse Method)

Except

IS: 9–1949     which is already published, all these standards are in advanced stage of preparation and are expected to be published soon.

           

            In the preparation of this standard, considerable assistance has been received from the All India Spinner’ Association, government of Rajasthan, the Directorate of Technical Development (Ministry of Defence), Department of Chemical Technology (University of Bombay), and others.

Source:  C. Rajagopalachari Papers VI^th –XII^th Inst., MSS. NMML  

27 May: 1964, On the Demise of Jawaharlal Nehru

Homage to Jawaharlal Nehru

THE UZBEK BRANCH OF THE SOCIETY OF SOVIET-INDIAN CULTURAL RELATIONS

Dear Friends,

We have heard with deepest feeling of grief about the premature decease of the Prime-Minister of the Republic of India Shri JAWAHARLAL NEHRU, the outstanding statesman of our life-time, the great and sincere friend of the Soviet Union.

            Prime-Minister JAWAHARLAL NEHRU has devoted all his life to the cause of struggle for happiness and freedom of Indian people, for progress of mankind.

The outstanding contribution into struggle for  bringing about the principles of peaceful co-existence between the states made by Prime-Minister JAWAHARLAL NEHRU, his indefatigable activity to defend peace throughout the world have found its expression in non-alignment  policy of the Indian Republic the inspirer of which Prime-Minister JAWAHARLAL NEHRU has been.

All what nowadays the great people of India is proud of is inseparably linked with Prime-Minister JAWAHARLAL NEHRU’s name, who has been an active fighter against the colonialism.

In our country Shri JAWAHARLAL NEHRU’s name who has so much done to develop and strengthen friendship bonds between the Soviet and the Indian peoples, enjoyed of immeasurable respect and warmest love of all the Soviet people.

The visit of friendship made by Prime-Minister JAWAHARLAL NEHRU to the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic will be forever engraved in the Uzbek people’s memory.

During these mournful days for people of India and those of India’s sincere friends we share the entire depth of feeling of grief overtaken you and convey our sincere condolence to the people of India and the Indian government.

                   

Houjouma Shoukhourova                                                             Zoulfiya

President of the Uzbek Society                                President of the Uzbek Branch

for Friendship and Cultural relation                           of the Soviet-Indian Cultural

with foreign countries                                                         Society

                                               

Source: AIWC Papers, MSS, NMML

Reminiscences of Sardar Patel

15 December, 1950: Death Anniversary of Sardar Patel

Amir Chand Bombwal

I had on several occasions met with and listened to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Occasionally also, we had exchanged greetings. But the first opportunity to talk with him face to face came my way at the Karachi Session of the Congress in March 1931. After the declaration of the objective of ‘complete independence’ at Lahore, under the inspiring leadership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1929, the first Congress Session was held at Karachi. Also after the great ‘life and death’ struggle of 1930, it was the first Session of this national organisation.  

  

            Our Guiding Star: Today (15 December) is the death anniversary of this great leader of resurgent India. Endowed with indomitable courage, farsightedness, tact and vision, he created a strong and consolidated India with the integration of 600 and odd states. His accomplishments should inspire our youth to harness themselves to work ceaselessly and with single- minded devotion to throw out the Chinese hordes which have despoiled our sacred soil. His brilliant example should be out guiding star in this national emergency. That was alone can be vindicated the honour of our Motherland. Discipline, i.e. self- sacrifice should be the motto of our youth.

                    (Reproduced from the Frontier Mail, Dehra Dun dated 16^th December, 1962)

Corruption In Administration

            One hears these days about looseness in administration and corruption and which lead to partiality and inefficiency. If there was one enemy of corruption and inefficiency that I came across it was Sardar Patel. I am sure he would have exerted his utmost influence to keep the people on the straight path.  But it is no good again by lamenting that Sardar Patel left us early. When we are building up a nation and a great Republic, we have a future before us going into centuries and we cannot expect a single individual to remain with us even for decades, what to say of centuries. The Nation must produce great men form amongst itself continuously and we can only hope and pray that our future leaders will benefit from the examples of the past lives of greats builders of our independence.       

Source: Asok Mitra Papers, MSS, NMML

10 December 1878: Birth Anniversary of C. Rajagopalachari

Excerpts of Jawaharlal Nehru’s Tribute to Rajaji

For the last 28 years, I have been closely associated with Rajaji and we have faced many crisis together many difficulties and many problems. We have sometimes differed from each other and have parted company on the political field. But, again, we have met to cooperate and work together. So, when i think of him, I hardly think of him as the Governor-General of India but rather as a close colleague with whom I have worked for all these many years

It was a peculiar satisfaction to me that by Rajaji becoming the Governor-General, that close association continues in a different form. I must mention to you now, that in the course of these 28 years, occasions had arisen when politically speaking we differed some what from each other ; we did not see eye to eye and we felt that in regard to some important matters, our approaches were different. I do not know if that difference in approach may not be evident now or in the future in regard to any matter. Indeed, when thinking of working together, it does not mean that we should agree in everything or that there must be certain regimentation of thought, Inevitably, there is always a difference of opinion between one individual and another but if there is a basic identity in objective and method of approach and if there is certain confidence in the integrity of purpose, then the difference of opinion does not count very much. Even if they differ, it does not do injury to anyone. Democracy does not mean the regimentation of uniformity of opinion but the capacity of have differences of opinion and get out of them to produce uniformity of action.

Rajaji is a person of strong convictions and strong beliefs, who has adhered to them. You know he was very much influenced in the early years by Mahatma Gandhi. He accepted basically Mahatmaji’s approach to various problems. Nevertheless, at no time did he become a person who unthinkingly accepted any one’s dictum, even Mahatmaji’s. Rajaji will argue with Mahatmaji, debate with him and would not give in easily. Ultimately however, he would give in because he thought it best in the circumstances to accept Mahatmaji’s judgement.

We see Rajaji today in the highest position of the State in India. It is rather symbolical that a man like Rajaji- in his personal life the simplest of us all in dress, habits, food and everything else should suddenly be put in a place which was symbolic of the power and glory of an empire. This is an odd transition very significant and full of meaning. In a State, naturally, there must be a certain emblem there should be a certain dignity. It is not quite a symbol of high thinking and simple living that our State Officers should be accommodated in mud houses. Probably the most complicated way of living is to live in mud houses. So a State has to have certain dignity. State buildings should certainly have simplicity but dignity also- I hope every building in the country will have stability, dignity and comfort. But what is important is not merely the dignity of a building but also of its occupant. The phenomenon is very significant in the present day context of India. Rajaji is the simplest of Indians in his way of life, occupying a place which has been a symbol of the very reverse of simplicity in the past and occupying it with great dignity and affect.

Source: C.Rajagopalachari Papers (VI^th to XII^th), MSS, NMML

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan’s view on unfurling of the National Flag at Red Fort

VICE-PRESIDENT

          INDIA

        New Delhi

     August 8, 1961.                                                                                                                                                        

My dear Rajaji,

               Prime Minister spoke to me about his correspondence with you. While in ordinary circumstances he would have agreed with your suggestion that I should hoist the Flag and take the salute at the Red Fort, in the present context he feels, and I agree with him, that it is likely to be misunderstood.

               We laughed at your sentence that I would be able to climb the stairs!

               I am glad I met you though I am sorry I was not able to have a quiet chat with you.

                                                                                                                     

Yours affectionately,

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

Shri C. Rajagopalachari,

Bazlullah Road,

Thyagarajanagar, Madras - 17.

                                                                ***

PERSONAL & CONFIDENTAL

VICE-PRESIDENT

          INDIA

         New Delhi

     August 12, 1961

                                                                                                                                                             

My dear Rajaji,

                  Thank you for your letter of the 10^th.

                  You are not quite fair to the Prime Minister. He did not show me your letter. He merely quoted one or two sentences. He had to do it since your suggestion was that I should take the salute and unfurl the flag.

                 As you say, Jawaharlal Nehru is a national hero and people are eager to listen to him.

                 Rajen Babu has been the President from 26 January 1950 and all these years he had not unfurled the flag and taken the salute at the Red Fort, whatever may be the reason. If this August, when I am only discharging the functions of the President, I do so, uncharitable people, of whom we have a good number in our country, will take advantage and draw their own conclusions which will be most unfortunate.

                  I quite agree that civil servants and defence forces should be kept out of party politics. We should not do anything to involve them in party matters.

                 I trust you are getting better.

                                                                                                            Yours affectionately,

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

                  

Shri C. Rajagopalachari,

Bazlullah Road,

Thayagarajanagar, Madras - 17.

Source: C. Rajagopalachari Papers (V Inst.), MSS Section

On this day in Indian history: 17 March 1959- Dalai Lama escaped from Tibet

On the eve of Dalai Lama’s escape to India

TRANSLATION

Pt Jawaharlal Nehru

Prime Minister of India

     Ever since Tibet went under the control of Red China and the Tibetan Government lost its powers in 1951, I, my Government officers and citizens have been trying to maintain peace in Tibet but the Chinese Government has been gradually subduing the Tibetan Government.

     The Tibetans have great love for and faith in Buddhism and their religion is more precious to them than their lives. In order to root out Buddhism, the Chinese published some articles in the press against Lord Buddha’s teachings and circulated them widely. This has created unhappy atmosphere amongst the Tibetans and they have started disliking intensely the Chinese Administration.

    On 10.3.1959, I, members of the Kashag and other high ranking officers were invited to the Chinese Army Headquarters in Lhasa ostensibly to attend a cultural show. The people of Lhasa came to me and requested me not to attend the function as they suspected foul play. They announced openly in the streets that they would not remain any longer under China and would become independent. After this a large armed party came to my residence to guard me.

     The Government of Tibet have tried their best to maintain good relations with China but the Chinese have  been trying to take away powers from the Tibetan Government and in some areas they are making preparations for war.  

     On 17.3.1959 at 4 p.m. the Chinese fired two shells in the direction of my residence. They could not do much damage. As our lives were in danger, I and some of my trusted men [sic] managed to escape the same evening at 10 p.m. and moving south [sic] reach Lhuntse Dzong on 26.3.1959.

     India and Tibet have had religious relations for thousand years and they are like brothers without any differences. Moreover Pt. Nehru as also the Indian people are known throughout the world for their support of humanitarian causes.

     In this critical situation we are entering India via Tsona. I hope that you will please make necessary arrangements for us in the Indian Territory.

     Confident of your kindness and with good wishes,

                                                              Dalai Lama

                                                                  Tenzin Gyasto

                                                            26.3.1959

Source: Subimal Dutt Papers, NMML Archives

Civil Disobedience Movement and aftermath

Gandhi-Irwin Pact- 5^th March 1931

Dandi March- Starts on 12^th March 1931

Salt Satyagraha- 5^th April 1931

Report on Civil Disobedience Movement

Chapter III

Civil Disobedience Begins

Gandhiji reached his destination on April 5th. On the morning of the following day, he committed technical breach of the salt laws by collecting a handful of muddy salt from the sea from which he later prepared pure salt. Knowing Gandhiji’s plans, Government had taken pains to destroy previously all free salt on the coast by thoroughly mixing it up with dirt and mud.

               After Gandhiji had collected his handful of salt, he formally authorised the country to start civil disobedience by preparing, collecting or selling contraband salt. There was immediate and unbounded response to Gandhiji’s call. In every province except Assam, where there are no facilities for salt-making, salt began to be prepared in hundreds of places amidst great popular enthusiasm. At first, batches of chosen volunteers, after passing in procession through the streets of towns and villages, assembled at appointed places and actually went through the process of salt manufacture surrounded and cheered by thousands of citizens. Where the sea-coast or other large salt sources were accessible, the breach of the laws was not confined to chosen volunteers alone. It at once became a mass movement, that is, whole populations took part in it. Gandhiji himself participated in such mass disobedience a couple of days after the initiation of the movement. In Bombay, hundreds of thousands of men and women rushed to the beach to fetch sea water which they evaporated into salt in their homes. In areas where salt could be prepared with difficulty, batches of volunteers toured through villages, carrying accessories of salt- making and holding meetings in every village, they prepared salt in the meetings in which the villagers also participated. Thus they spread the movement far and wide. With the beginning of the movement, Government repression, which had already begun, assumed a fiercer aspect; it soon transcended even the bounds of its own laws. Before the first week of Satyagrah was over, reports came of deliberate maltreatment of Satyagrahis. Forcible wresting of salt from the hands of volunteers, sometimes resulting in the drawing of blood, became a common occurrence not only in Gujarat but everywhere. At one place, boiling saline water (from which salt was subsequently to be prepared) was poured over the body of a Satyagrahi. Only two days after the eventful 6^th of April, while volunteers were preparing salt in Delhi, a force of policemen appeared on the scene and caught hold of the volunteers and dragged them away over thorny brambles and stony ground. The same day while salt was being prepared the third time the police repeated this behavior. As a result of this, all the volunteers were bleeding and badly bruised, five of them becoming completely senseless…….

Source: A.I.C.C. papers, NMML Archives

On Withdrawal of Salt Concession by Government

All India Congress Committee.

Swaraj Bhawan, Allahabad.

Jhang, September 27^th, 1931.

My dear Vallabhbhai,

                             I enclose a copy of a letter I am sending to Emerson, also a copy of a notice issued by the Deputy Commissioner of the Shahpur District withdrawing the salt concession from the Salt Range. I did not want to write to Emerson direct but then I felt that great delay would occur if I referred the matter to you first. Hence the action I have taken. I hope you do not mind.

                              Sometime ago you issued a warning to people abusing the salt concession. I believe this applied to Karachi or parts of Sind but I am not sure. So far as I remember, the Salt Range in the Punjab had nothing to do with it. It seems to me that it is highly improper for Government to withdraw the salt concession in this way whatever the facts regarding abuse might be. I am informed that there has been no such abuse. People from Shahpur District tell me that as a matter of fact full advantage has not been taken of the concession. It may be that there have been minor breaches by individuals. In any event the burden of proof rests entirely on Government and they must prove their case before they take action.

                               I find that repression here is going strong and a very large number of persons, chiefly young men, are being proceeded against under various section. Many are being tried under Sec. 302 I.P.C.  (the murder section) coupled with some other sections, simply because of a speech. I read through the speeches in one such case. It was a report taken by a head constable and most of it was strenuously denied as incorrect. But even accepting it for what it was worth it is an extraordinary state of affairs to proceed under Sec. 302 for a speech.

                               This is just and instance. In a variety of other ways local officials here are misbehaving. Unfortunately the Punjab P.C.C. is not an efficient or a capable body and does not do much. It is hardly possible to make it realise what should be done and what should not be done.

                                        I notice from the papers that you are still in Bombay. I do not know what your future programme is. I am sending this letter to both places.

                                                                                   Yours sincerely,

                                                                                    Sd/- Jawaharlal.

          Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

                                                                                                                                                                                                     Enclosure

All India Congress Committee

Swaraj Bhawan, Allahabad.

                 Jhang, September 27^th 1931

Dear Mr. Emerson,

                  I have been shown a copy of a notice which the Deputy Commissioner of Shahpur District is said to have issued withdrawing the salt concession from the whole area covered by the Salt Range. I enclose a copy of this notice which bears the date: 10.8.31. I do not know if this date is correctly given in the copy as the notice has, I understand, only recently been generally published for public information.

                    The salt concession was an explicit an important part of the Delhi Settlement and its withdrawal raises vital issues. So far as my information goes there has not been any of it in Shahpur District, but in any event we would have expected that any allegations would have been brought to the notice of the Congress President, as you have done in some other cases, before any action was taken by Government. If the date of the notice 10th August, as is mentioned in the copy, Mr. Gandhi was here at the time and could have been informed of it.

                    In the ordinary course our President, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, would have written to you about this matter and I would not have troubled you about it. But in view of the importance of the matter and the desirability of avoiding delay I have ventured to write to you direct. I am of course informing our President and I shall be obliged if you will write to him in answer to this letter of mine. You need not trouble to write to me.

Yours sincerely

(Sd) Jawaharlal Nehru

H.W.Emerson Esq.

Secretary Home Department,

Government of India, Simla.

Enclosure

Notice

       The concession accorded to the residents of the Salt Range as a result of the discussions between Lord Irwin and Mr. Gandhi has been seriously abused in as much as that

(1)       Salt has been removed otherwise than on foot:

(2)    Within a few weeks quantities many times in excess of the normal annual consumption of the population in the villages in immediately adjoining areas have been removed;

and

(3)       It is established that a trade in salt so removed has sprung up in bazaars in towns many miles away from the source.

The concession has been completely with drawn throughout the wholes area of the Salt Range.

This notice is put up for the information of all in order to make widely known the real facts which made necessary the withdrawal of the concession.

Sd.  I.E. Jones,

Deputy Commissioner

Shahpur District

G. n. 10.8.31

Source : A.I.C.C papers, NMML archives  

Building Character

…In the old days, I am told, we are told, that the essential thing about education was the relationship between the pupil and teacher, the guru and the chela. That was easily possible then because you did not have then these large colleges, the universities, [instead] the ashram, where a small number of pupils went to their teachers and discussed matters with him and thus came into intimate contact with a mind which was more trained, more experienced and therefore could help in discussing matters. In the ultimate analysis, remember, every person has to discover his path by himself or herself. A teacher or a guru can help by pointing out the ways, by making it easier for you to go. But you have to go there by yourself. You cannot be carried anywhere. That applies to the whole of life, to find your own way. If you are rather of a higher calibre, you may find your way quickly or go further. Anyhow, whatever your calibre might be, you have to find your way yourself, mentally and physically, and all the process of education is to help you to train your mind and body to be able to find your way through life. Not merely through your examination—that is only a small part of testing and trial—but rather through life’s difficult courses.

Now as I said, these are questions which one likes to discuss with bright and forthcoming minds. If you want me to come and talk to you, let us say about some job or other, well, it might be interesting to you or to me, but it is not a subject which requires great agility of mind. It is, rather, it could be, much more interesting if you and I sit down and discuss some of the extraordinary problems that this world presents today or that India presents today. Some problems not affecting yourself or myself directly, but rather humanity as a whole, or the people of India as a whole. We are of course part of humanity and part of the people of India, and therefore anything that happens in the world affects us. So, one would like to discuss that because, in the course of discussion, different aspects of truth come up before one’s eyes and it helps us to think afresh.

You know perhaps that some of the greatest books that we have in India are the Upanishads. What does the word Upanishad mean? It means, sitting near by. Sitting near. I hope I am correct. That means sitting near, the pupil and teacher, and discussing things and trying to probe what is truth, by question and answer of the eager mind, young men and young women’s minds, wondering something, trying to find out what all this talk about this world is, life and problems, and this teacher trying to help. Ultimately it is for the young mind to find out, the teacher helps a little. But the main thing is, first of all, this desire to find out, this wish to find out what all this is. This is Jigyasa, if you like to call it. This certainly is the effort to find out. After that, the other things follow. If you have not even got any desire to find out, obviously, there is nothing to find out for you. You remain where you are. So, the desire and the effort are necessary, and the whole process of education is to awaken your minds, develop your bodies, in particular wakening your minds to this fascinating world and universe; and then it depends upon your capacity, your mind, how far you can go forward. A university should give you training, so that your mind becomes like a razor’s edge, sharp, piercing, going forward and trying to understand.

All that has happened in the world ever since homo sapiens began, ever since something resembling a human being started living in this world, whether it was hundreds and hundreds, or thousands of years ago. All that has happened is the development of the human mind; and out of that mind has come wonderful things. What is the difference between a human being, and let us say, an animal? There are several differences. One very odd difference, if I may say so, is—I hope I am right again—that the human being can laugh and an animal cannot laugh! It is an interesting difference but the major difference is memory. Memory means past experience stored, by which you can profit….

Extracts from Nehru’s Speech at Central College Cricket Pavilion, Bangalore, 16 January 1960.

From:-Selected works of Jawaharlal Nehru second series volume fifty six (1 – 25 January 1960)