Who Designed the Indian Flag? The Truth Behind the Tricolour

🇮🇳 Introduction: A Flag That Tells a Story

The Indian National Flag — the tricolour — is not just a piece of fabric. It is a living symbol of India’s unity, struggle, and identity. But who actually designed it? Was it created by a committee? A political party? Or a single individual?

Let’s separate myth from fact.

The Man Behind the Design: Pingali Venkayya

Yes — Pingali Venkayya, a freedom fighter and educationist from Andhra Pradesh, is widely credited as the original designer of the Indian national flag.

Born in 1876 in Machilipatnam (present-day Andhra Pradesh), Venkayya was a Gandhian, a linguist, and a staunch nationalist. He was passionate about India having its own flag to represent the freedom movement — at a time when most Indians had to hoist the British Union Jack.

How It All Started

In 1921, during an Indian National Congress session held at Bezwada (now Vijayawada), Venkayya presented a design to Mahatma Gandhi — a flag with two colours:

Red representing Hindus

Green representing Muslims

Gandhi approved the idea but suggested the addition of a white stripe to represent the rest of India’s communities (Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, etc.) and the spinning wheel (charkha) to symbolize Swadeshi and self-reliance.

"It will be necessary for us Indians — Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Parsis and all others — to whom India is their home, to recognise a common flag."

— Mahatma Gandhi, 1921

The Final National Flag (Post-Independence)

By the time India was ready to become independent in 1947, the Constituent Assembly adopted a modified version of the flag on 22 July 1947. The charkha (spinning wheel) was replaced by the Ashoka Chakra (the 24-spoke navy blue wheel) from the Lion Capital of Ashoka, representing dharma (righteousness), progress, and motion.

Final Flag Colors and Their Meaning:

Saffron (top): Courage and sacrifice

White (middle): Peace and truth

Green (bottom): Fertility, growth, and auspiciousness

Ashoka Chakra (navy blue): Eternal wheel of law (Dharma Chakra)

So Who Officially Designed the Flag of India?

To be clear:

Pingali Venkayya is recognized as the original designer of the Indian flag.

The final national flag as we know it today was adopted by the Constituent Assembly with some modifications, primarily the replacement of the charkha with the Ashoka Chakra.

While it was not a one-man effort by the time of independence, Venkayya’s contribution laid the foundation for the tricolour we proudly salute today.

What Happened to Pingali Venkayya?

Sadly, despite his monumental contribution, Pingali Venkayya died in poverty in 1963, largely unrecognized in his lifetime.

However, in recent years:

The Government of India issued a postage stamp in his honour in 2009

In 2022, the 100th year of his flag design, PM Narendra Modi paid tribute, and a proposal was raised to posthumously award him the Bharat Ratna.

❓FAQs

Q: Did Gandhi design the Indian flag?

A: No, Gandhi did not design it, but he influenced the addition of white and the spinning wheel in Venkayya’s original design.

Q: Why was the Ashoka Chakra added?

A: To give the flag a secular and historical symbol of law, movement, and truth — drawn from Emperor Ashoka’s pillar at Sarnath.

Q: Is Pingali Venkayya officially recognized?

A: Yes. He is credited by the Indian government and historians as the primary designer of the Indian flag.

🧵 Final Thoughts

The Indian flag wasn’t just designed — it was born through sacrifice, symbol, and purpose. While Pingali Venkayya planted the seed with his design, the flag’s evolution reflected the heart of a diverse and determined nation.

So next time you salute the tricolour, remember — behind its bold colours and spinning wheel lies the dream of a man who wanted India to fly its own flag… even before it was free.