People still talk about the history of the Indian flag. It ties right into Indias long fight for freedom. The tricolour we see flying high these days came from years of changes, sacrifices, and a shared push for unity. Every flag version from the freedom movement captured what people hoped for, felt deeply, and stood against.

The first known Indian national flag goes back to 1906. They hoisted it in Parsee Bagan Square in Calcutta. This one had three horizontal stripes, green, yellow, and red. It included symbols like the sun, a star, and the words Vande Mataram. Even though it was not official, it started something big for national identity.

Just a year later in 1907, another design showed up. Madame Bhikaji Cama introduced it in Paris. People called it the Cama Flag. It looked a lot like the 1906 one but got noticed around the world. In a way, it put Indias freedom struggle on the international map.

Things moved forward in 1917 with the Home Rule Movement. Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant led it. A new flag came out then. It showed the British Union Jack plus a star and crescent. This stood for Indias call for dominion status inside the British Empire. Not everyone accepted it widely, but it pushed toward a real national symbol.

Pingali Venkayya made a real difference here. He was a freedom fighter and designer from Andhra Pradesh. He cared a lot about creating a national flag. He came up with designs that thought about Indias many cultures. In 1921, he met Mahatma Gandhi and showed a two-colour flag. Red stood for Hindus, green for Muslims. A spinning wheel sat in the center for self-reliance and economic freedom. Gandhi added white later to cover other groups and show peace. This version laid the groundwork for the tricolour we know.

As independence got closer, they needed one final flag for everyone. The Constituent Assemblys Flag Committee looked at different ideas. On July 22, 1947, they picked the current national flag of India. It kept the saffron, white, and green stripes. They swapped the spinning wheel for the Ashoka Chakra though. That is a navy-blue wheel with 24 spokes from the Lion Capital of Ashoka. The Chakra means motion, progress, and doing what is right.

Each colour in the flag means something deep.

Saffron shows courage, sacrifice, and strength.

White stands for peace, truth, and purity.

Green points to prosperity, growth, and life.

The Ashoka Chakra brings in justice, forward movement, and the endless wheel of law.

The Indian national flag, or Tiranga, does more than symbolize. It reminds us of the tough times people went through, the unity they built, and the dreams they kept alive over generations. Today it flies high as a sign of Indias independence. It also captures the countrys sense of self, pride, and democratic way.