This Tuesday (August 15) marks the day that Indians hail their country’s freedom, with the national annual holiday being celebrated all over the world.
Indian Independence Day is a national holiday held to commemorate the country’s freedom from British colonial rule.
The celebratory day has been held every single year since 1947, when at the stroke of midnight on August 14, the Indian Independence Act 1947 came into force and the country was given back the right to govern itself.
But how did it come about and why is the day celebrated? Here is everything we know:
How did India gain independence and who ruled them before?
The British first found themselves in India in the 1600s and began their takeover. By 1858 they were governed by the UK, but following the devastation of the Second World War, Britain could no longer afford to administer the country and began seeking ways of giving it back.
India was once made up of what is now two separate entities - India and Pakistan - but the British decided to split it upon the act of independence based on religion.
British lawyer and a Law Lord, Sir Cyril Radcliffe, drew the new lines and it is said he did it on very little knowledge as it is said he failed to leave his hotel while on a visit over there to work out how it should best be split.
How was India split and what happened when the country changed?
Sir Cyril Radcliffe drew a line where the country should split to denote Muslim majority and Hindu and Sikh majority areas. The country was carved up based roughly on the proportion of Muslims and Hindus living in each area.
But the move was unsuccessful as the partition decision was accompanied by violence and uproar from people who were forced to move to different areas, based solely on their religious beliefs.
It is said that the split resulted in millions of people being placed on the wrong side of the new borders. As a direct consequence, ten million people became refugees in what was the largest population movement in history.
Muslims travelled to Pakistan, Sikhs and Hindus to India. Up to a million of these refugees were killed in a series of horrific massacres in the border regions.
British forces were out there at the time but were not deployed to quell any of the discontent or violence.
What happened then?
At the stroke of midnight on August 14, the Indian Independence Act 1947 came into force and the country was given back the right to govern itself. Pakistan was given the right the day before.
Lord Mountbatten was responsible for transferring power to Pakistan’s founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah at the Constituent Assembly, the day before India was granted freedom, before Lord Mountbatten travelled to India to sign the declaration.
The initial celebration of this took place on 15 August 1948 in India, which is why the day of celebrations are held on this day annually.
India this year is commemorating its 76th anniversary of independence.
Jawaharlal Nehru became India’s first-ever Prime Minister and made a famous speech at the time, entitled the ‘Tryst with Destiny’ from the capital Delhi.
He said: “Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.”
How is Indian Independence Day celebrated?
The country holds its equivalent of a bank holiday for the celebrations, and things are kicked off with Government marking the occasion. Serving Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver a speech, before a parade takes place.
The PM will watch over the Guard of Honour before lifting the national flag from Government buildings. This year’s unifying theme is “Nation First, Always First”.
The flag is raised above buildings, in schools and public places, and local areas host their individual ways of celebrating, from street parties to parades and many light lanterns in front of their homes.
All around the country kite flying is done, as this is one of India’s symbols of freedom.
How can I get involved in celebrations?
A host of flag-flying ceremonies are taking place in London at churches and Indian places of worship today (Tuesday, August 15) to mark the occasion.
At the Karuna Manor Care Home, in Borehamwood, an all-day event starts at 10.30am, which will see Indian singers, performances, food and yoga.
At Maidenhead & Bray Cricket Club, the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) team, who are the reigning world champions are visiting the UK to take part in IBSA (International Blind Sports Association/Federation) world games in August.
The team will be playing cricket matches against Pakistan, Australia, England and Bangladesh in this series but have organised a friendly match against the Maidenhead men’s cricket team from 12:30pm onwards. Dignitaries and bureaucrats from the High Commission of India office in London to join and support the event.
