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First Post
a day ago
- General
- First Post
History Today: When India adopted the Tricolour as its national flag
The Tricolour was adopted to be the national flag of independent India on July 22, 1947. The flag was designed by Pingali Venkayya in 1921 and initially consisted of red and green bands instead of saffron, white and green colours that are visible today read more The Indian national flag is a symbol of the country's freedom from 200 years of British oppression. Representational image The Indian national flag is a sign of the country's freedom from British rule. Fluttering high, especially on government buildings, the Tricolour invokes feelings of pride and nationalism in the hearts of Indians. But did you know that it was adopted just weeks before independence? The Constituent Assembly adopted the tricolour as the national flag of independent India on July 22, 1947. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today, will be your one-stop destination to explore key events. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On this day in 2011, Norway experienced one of the deadliest attacks in its modern history when Anders Behring Breivik carried out a two-part assault that claimed 77 lives. Here is all that happened on this day. India adopted Tricolour as its national flag The Constituent Assembly of India officially adopted the Tricolour as the national flag of independent India on July 22, 1947, just weeks before gaining independence. This decision marked a defining step in India's journey to sovereignty. The flag, initially designed by Pingali Venkayya in 1921, had evolved through several alterations over the years as various designs were proposed and used by different factions of the Indian independence movement. The initial design featured red and green bands (symbolising Hindus and Muslims respectively) with the spinning wheel in the centre. On Gandhi's suggestion, a white stripe was later added to represent all other communities and peace. This 'Swaraj Flag' or 'Gandhi Flag' gained unofficial acceptance and was used during various Indian National Congress sessions. The flag consists of saffron, white and green colours along with the Ashoka Chakra. File image/PTI However, the need for a flag that represented all of India without any communal interpretations became paramount as independence approached. An ad-hoc committee, headed by Dr Rajendra Prasad, was tasked with finalising the design. On July 22, 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru moved the resolution in the Constituent Assembly that cemented the design. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This flag consisted of saffron (symbolising courage and sacrifice) at the top, white (representing peace, truth and purity in the middle) and dark green (showing fertility and prosperity) at the bottom. The Ashoka Chakra in the middle, derived from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Emperor Ashoka, symbolises continuous progress. The adoption of the flag was more than a symbolic gesture; it was a proclamation of identity. As Jawaharlal Nehru said in his speech during the flag's adoption, 'This flag is not only of freedom for ourselves, but a symbol of freedom to all people.' Deadliest shooting incident in Norway Norway experienced its deadliest attack since World War II, carried out by far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik on this day in 2011. The two-part attack claimed the lives of 77 people and injured hundreds more. The first attack took place at approximately 3:25 pm, when Breivik detonated a powerful car bomb in the government quarter in central Oslo. The blast, placed near the office of then-Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, killed eight people and caused significant damage to government buildings, shattering windows and creating widespread chaos. Many public offices were less occupied than usual due to the summer holiday, which likely prevented an even higher casualty count. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Andres Behring Breivik gestured as he arrived during his trial in court in Oslo, Norway. File image/AP Roughly an hour and a half later, Breivik arrived at the island of Utoya disguised as a police officer. The island was hosting the annual summer camp of the Workers' Youth League (AUF), the youth wing of Norway's ruling Labour Party. For over an hour, armed with an automatic rifle and a pistol, Breivik systematically hunted down and shot the hundreds of mostly teenage attendees. He lured some victims closer by pretending to be a rescuer, resulting in a horrifying massacre that killed 69 people, many of whom were shot repeatedly or drowned trying to escape into the cold water. Breivik was arrested on the island without resistance. During his trial in 2012, he showed no remorse and described his actions as 'cruel but necessary' to fight what he believed was the Islamisation of Europe and the Labour Party's role in promoting multiculturalism. He was found sane and guilty and sentenced to 21 years in prison, the maximum under Norwegian law, with the possibility of extension. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This Day, That Year On this day in 1992, Colombian drug trafficker Pablo Escobar escaped from police custody. American aviator Wiley Post completed the first solo flight around the world on this day in 1933. In 1812, the duke of Wellington defeated '40,000 Frenchmen in 40 minutes' at Salamanca, Spain.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
National Flag Day in India 2025: Know the date, history, significance, and more
Every year on July 22, India commemorates National Flag Day, also known as Tiranga Adoption Day. This year, it's being observed on July 22, 2025, falling on Tuesday. On July 22, 1947, the Constituent Assembly of India officially adopted the Indian National Flag, known as the Tiranga, which means Tricolour. The Indian flag evolved over time, with various designs proposed and used during the freedom struggle, with the earliest flag, created by Sister Nivedita in 1904, featuring red and yellow colours symbolising victory and power, with 'Vande Mataram' inscribed in Bengali. After several modifications over the years, the present-day flag, the 'tiranga' was adopted with three coloured stripes – saffron, white, and green – and the Ashoka Chakra replacing the charkha as the national emblem, was officially adopted on July 22, 1947. On August 15, 1947, India gained independence and Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India, hoisted the Tricolour, the national flag of India, for the first time. National Flag Day instills a sense of pride, patriotism, and national unity among citizens, while encourages reflection on civic responsibilities, upholds the dignity of the national flag, as outlined in the Flag Code of India, and abides by its values. Each colour in the Indian national flag has a significant meaning which reflects the country's values and aspirations, while highlighting the sacrifices and struggles of countless freedom fighters who laid down their lives for India's independence. On this day, schools, government institutions, and various organisations often conduct ceremonies and educational programmes to raise awareness about the flag's history, symbolism, and the rules for its display.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
41st anniversary of The Times of India, Bengaluru: Engineering the future
In the most sought-after engineering college of Karnataka, a four-year computer science seat gets lapped up for a fee of Rs 70 lakh. And if you thought this was too steep a price to pay, consider this: Students from across the country queue at this college as early as December of the previous year. Karnataka, and, more specifically Bengaluru, has been one of the hotspots for engineering education since the 1970s and a pioneer in private technical education in the country. Of the 213 colleges affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), more than 80 are Bengaluru-based. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru When Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya established the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE) in 1917, it was the fifth engineering college in the country. If that was a humble beginning, then the picture started changing drastically from the late 1950s. That was when the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, in his clarion call for industrialisation, said, 'industrialise or perish'. In the years that followed, at least eight big-ticket public sector industrial units came to Bengaluru, including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), and Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo 'With an ever-growing demand for engineers in the country, engineering colleges started mushrooming,' recalled Seetharamu A S, former faculty at the Institute for Social and Economic Change. 'Basic sciences grew, too. Indian Institute of Science was paving the way for this. Meanwhile, there was a lot of interest in spectroscopy, with Nobel laureate C V Raman's work. All this led to an increased demand for engineering education in the state,' he said. Then came privatisation of professional colleges in Karnataka. In 1946, BMS College of Engineering (BMSCE) became the first private sector initiative in engineering education in India. Soon, several others followed. 'The ecosystem for science and engineering was already set in the city with the PSUs in 1960s. At a time when other states were just beginning to set up private engineering colleges, Karnataka already had 50-60 of those. However, Karnataka did not unscrupulously increase the number of colleges and maintained it at 213, thereby ensuring quality education,' said K N Subramanya, principal of R V College of Engineering. Karnataka was one of the first states to build an umbrella university VTU that brought all technical education under one roof. While many educationists were not in favour of the affiliation system, they agreed that formation of VTU brought in standardisation and quality in technical education. Karnataka was also one of the first states to bring in a Common Entrance Test (CET) in 1994 that ensured meritocracy in admissions, setting benchmarks in engineering education. As a result of these initiatives, in the 1990s, Bengaluru emerged the cradle of IT revolution in the country. The rest, as they say, is history! Bengaluru's story in engineering education is now about keeping up with the times. S Sadagopan, the founder director at International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore, said: 'While institutes like IITs provide quality education, they have not been able to scale up student intake to the extent required. However, many colleges in Bengaluru are now providing quality education with intake as high as 1,000 for some branches. They're able to offer quality education at scale. This is Karnataka's contribution to the nation,' he observed. In addition, there are private universities offering engineering education. Colleges from other states and cities are also venturing into Bengaluru to have a piece of the pie. With artificial intelligence (AI) taking the world by storm, colleges have also undergone makeovers to keep pace. Currently, there are 133 streams available, of which at least 105 are related to computer science and its allied programmes. 'Bengaluru's evolution into India's premier engineering education hub is deeply tied to its thriving tech ecosystem, the early establishment of top-tier institutions, and close industry-academia collaboration,' said Neeti Sharma, CEO, Teamlease Digital. 'Over the past two decades, top engineering colleges in the city have consistently attracted high-quality talent from across India due to robust placement records and proximity to leading tech companies,' she further said. 'With around 12,000 IT/software firms and more than 10,000 startups, Bengaluru offers unmatched industry exposure to engineering students. The city's colleges routinely see the highest number of companies visiting for campus placements,' Sharma added. 'The packages offered are also among the highest in the country. Institutions such as IIIT Bangalore and IISc report average packages of Rs 27-28 LPA, with top offers reaching Rs 65-86 LPA,' Sharma said. According to Sharma, core engineering domains, especially semiconductors, are seeing renewed interest. 'Bengaluru is home to a vast majority of India's chip design workforce, with firms such as AMD, Qualcomm, and Intel expanding their design operations,' she said. It's not just engineering, but colleges in other streams also have mushroomed in the state. According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2021-22, Bengaluru Urban district has the highest density of colleges in the country, with 1,106 institutions. In comparison, Jaipur has 703, Hyderabad 491, Pune 475 and Prayagraj 398. What Bengaluru has always lacked is an IIT, but there are now colleges in the city that can boast of education on par with the best in the country.
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
The Great Indian mother tongue tango: Pride, slaps and salty tea
In Mumbai's latest episode of "Speak Marathi or Else", early July, some traders found themselves slapped, not with fines they can manage, but greasy palms slammed on their faces at the speed of xenophobia. For what? For choosing Hindi over the local lingo. While language pride is laudable, turning it into a nasty contact sport has been India's national pastime since... well, since Jawaharlal Nehru's reluctance to divide the nation along linguistic lines was overruled. So, while the globe hyperventilates over 'language' in a different way with their LLMs—Large Language Models—churning out Shakespearean sonnets, we Indians deploy our impromptu street language audits or every Som, Danish and Harish. I know, because I have faced it myself. It is Bangalore, 2007, my first day in Karnataka. Fresh off the bus, feeling unwell, I drag myself to a pharmacy. What I receive isn't just Paracetamol, but also a hearty dose of Kannadiga pride, served up by a sweetly smiling elderly uncle. "Why don't you speak in Kannada?" he inquires, like he's offering me sweet nakul dana from the latest aarti in the nearest temple. "I will," I reply, "if I stay here longer! This is just my first hour in your magnificent city!" I think that truth plus city-pride-hyperbole would end the matter. Silly me. Uncle now deploys his own kamikaze logic drone. He beams, radiating the positivity of a thousand suns (Now, I am become Death?): "Then it's the perfect day to start!" My expression? Pure, unadulterated, "Dude. Seriously?" Thankfully, my pills arrive, rupees change hands, and below a bewildered headshake, my legs carry me back to the hotel at Olympic speed to escape this linguistic conversion. And you know the irony? That uncle's well-intentioned ambush backfired. It, and other incidents reported in the media since, left such a bad taste that I developed an involuntary reflex to avoid Karnataka. I've since ventured there only with the enthusiasm of a cat facing bath time. And the tragic, personal casualty? Hampi. That glorious miracle of the Vijayanagaran Empire is firmly in my global top-five must-sees. Yet, while I travel the world – doing slow-tourism of Varanasi (Hinduism HQ) and Rome (Christianity Central) just in the last year, Hampi eludes. All thanks to one retired gentleman with more time for linguistic gatekeeping than, following our scriptures, to, you know, leave for Sannyasa ashram. Since then, every news flash about someone getting thwacked in Maharashtra (where I've now lived half my years), Karnataka, or frankly anywhere for linguistic reasons, instantly teleports me back to that Bangalore pharmacy. That cocktail of anger and frustration bubbles right back up. If our aan, baan, shaan, and our naam, namak, nishaan, is our nation, India, why let hyper-local supra-pride manifest as public humiliation? Will insulting someone in the name of your 'mother' tongue make your mother proud, or serve as an advertisement for the "greatness" of your language and culture? And does it come with a brochure? A free phrasebook, with the address to the nearest night school that teaches your language? Nope? Just a stinging cheek followed by decades of resentment. Those of you branding me an anti-lingo or anti-national, hold your horses, cause the truth is the opposite! Genetically hailing from the Far East (Assam), raised in the Far West (Gujarat), and having loitered all over the country since, I've become a linguistic chameleon. Gujarati, Hindi, Assamese? Speak, read, write. Hindustani and Urdu? Proficient enough to order biryani with poetic flair (even began learning Farsi as a kid, till a new Maulvi proclaimed me Hindu and banished me). Bengali, Punjabi, Marathi? Understand fluently, speak like a charmingly broken robot. Nagamese, Oriya? I catch the drift, generally. The glorious dialects and languages under Hindi: Braj Bhasha, Bundeli, Haryanvi; Awadhi, Bagheli, and Chhattisgarhi; Maithili, Bhojpuri and Magahi? Perfect comprehension, passable spoken attempts. I'm basically a walking, talking poster for national integration, or in today's lingo, for 'Bharat Mata ke bhasha ki jay'. My Achilles' heel? Total blackout on the Tibeto-Burman tongues of the North-East. And shamefully, the magnificent four Southern languages. Though, while living in Hyderabad for a bit, I did dabble in Telugu, enough to land myself in hot water with a client after calling him "hantakudu" (murderer) instead of saying "andagadu" (handsome). Honestly, why wasn't learning one South Indian language compulsory in school? I believe it's a national tragedy. And shame. So yes, I live in the Land of Loving Languages. So, all you passionate Kannadiga warriors, champions of the Marathi manoos, Tamizh thaai devotees – here's my suggestion: Inspire, don't require! Instead of unleashing the Slap Brigade, how about unleashing the "Adopt-a-Non-Local" initiative? Get your people to gently take a clueless outsider under their wing and teach them your language, word by glorious word. And guess what: No one will object! Why? Because it's ridiculously useful! Exhibit A: My dear departed father. Fresh off the train from Assam to Gujarat in 1974 (he hadn't even heard of a dhokla before), his Hindi was Bollywood-basic, Gujarati non-existent. At his first Gujarati home visit, wanting sugar in tea, he requested "meethu." While "meethu" sounds like it means sugar, it actually means salt in Gujarati. The bewildered host, assuming salty tea was an Assamese delicacy, obliged. Not wanting to offend, dad drank. Decades later, we blamed this incident for his hypertension. Jokes aside, my point? Most long-term residents, like my dad, realize the immense benefit of the local lingo and want to learn. The burning question: Who's gonna teach them? The slapperatti? Here's a still better suggestion for all you Bharatiya language lovers. March down to your state's tech startup district and inspire (please, no slaps) someone to build the next big thing: a hyper-local Duolingo rival! Storm your AI companies! Instead of forcing LLMs (Lots of Language Modes) down throats, demand they build actual LLMs (Large Language Models) in your language! Get tech to do the heavy lifting of preservation and promotion! And the other thing you can actively do: sharpen your culture. Because, despite the Bangalore Pharmacy uncle's unintended effect, my aversion to Kannada has been chipped away gradually by you know what: Karnataka's music, art, culture and most importantly, cinema. Films like Thithi, Kantara, the sheer operatic madness of KGF... they make me wish for a Matrix-style instant Kannada download jack at the back of my head! Plug me in, Morpheus, I need to understand this awesomeness properly! And then came the Booker's nod to Banu Mushtaq's writing? I read one of her short stories in English and it wrecked me with its prose. Imagine its power in the original! That's the pull. Wherever you are in this glorious, noisy nation, if you want to promote your language and culture? Make your art irresistible. Make your language a magnet, not a mallet. Build a pull economy where people crave to learn, not a push economy where you shove it down reluctant mental throats. So, as a tribute to the linguistic assortment I adore (and the many more I aspire to master before I abandon this mortal coil), here's a little… let's generously call it a poetic interlude… in my four beloved tongues: नयी भाषा सीखो, नई दुनिया देखो। (Nayi bhasha seekho, nayi duniya dekho.) શબ્દો એટલે પુલ છે, અંતરને જોડે. (Shabdo atle pul che, antar ne jode.) शिकलेली भाषा आपल्याला जगात नेते. (Shikleli bhasha, aapalyala jagat nete.) আৰু এটা ভাষা, নতুন বন্ধুৰ আশা। (Aaru eeta bhakha, notun bondhur aakha.) For the linguistically challenged amongst us – a.k.a. most normal people – here's a translation: Learn a new language, see a new world. Words are bridges connecting hearts. A learned tongue carries you into the world. One more language, hope for new friends. Build bridges with words, stop constructing walls with slaps. Onward, linguistic India! But with a cultural hug, not a slap.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Security beefed up in Cuttack for president's visit today
Cuttack: Security has been beefed up ahead of President Droupadi Murmu's scheduled visit to Cuttack on Tuesday. The president is scheduled to attend a series of events, including a key address at the Ravenshaw University. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Security has been heightened across the city, with 70 platoons of police, eight platoons of traffic personnel and five fire brigade units deployed to ensure smooth and secure movement of the president. A team from the Special Protection Group visited the venues on Monday to inspect security measures. The areas under high security surveillance include Ravenshaw University, Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Sarala Bhawan and other venues. Police checkpoints, sniffer dogs, anti-sabotage teams and rooftop surveillance have been activated across Cuttack. Cuttack DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo said strict coordination is being maintained among multiple agencies to ensure the president's safety. "A total of 70 platoons of police forced have been deployed in and around the city," he said. "An advisory on traffic norms that need to be followed during her visit has also been issued," he added. "We have implemented a multi-layered security plan covering all entry-exit routes and event venues. Citizens are requested to cooperate with the security forces and avoid unnecessary travel in high-security zones during the president's movements," Dnyandeo said. "Traffic diversions and controlled movement will be in place along the route from Bhubaneswar to Cuttack. Public entry to the venues will be limited and thorough frisking protocols will be followed," Dnyandeo added. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now On Tuesday, Murmu will grace the 13th annual convocation of Ravenshaw University and lay the foundation stone for the redevelopment of three buildings of Ravenshaw Girls' High School. She will also grace the birth anniversary celebrations of Adikabi Sarala Das and present the Kalinga Ratna Award.
