64th India Independence Day in 2011 will be celebrated on Monday, 15 August 2011.






    "A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new; when an age ends; and when the soul of a nation long suppressed finds utterance."  
- Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru


India celebrates Independence Day on August 15 each year. India became an independent nation on August 15, 1947
 
Independence Day of India is celebrated on Fifteenth of August (8/15/47) to commemorate its independence from British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation in 1947.The day is a national holiday in India. All over the country, flag-hoisting ceremonies are conducted by the local administration in attendance. The main event takes place in New Delhi, the capital city of India, where the Prime Minister hoists the national flag at the Red Fort and delivers  a nationally televised speech from its ramparts. In his speech, he highlights the achievements of his government during the past year, raises important issues and gives a call for further development. The Prime Minister also pays his tribute to leaders of the freedom struggle.

Historical Background of India Independence Day

1946, the Labour  government in Britain, its exchequer exhausted by the recently concluded World War II, and conscious that it had neither the mandate at home, the international support, nor the reliability of native forces for continuing to control an increasingly restless India, decided to end British rule of India, and in early 1947 Britain announced its intention of transferring power no later than June 1948.

As independence approached, the violence between Hindus and Muslims in the provinces of Punjab and Bengal continued unabated. With the British army unprepared for the potential for increased violence, the new viceroy, Louis Mountbatten, advanced the date for the transfer of power, allowing less than seven months for a mutually agreed plan for independence. In June 1947, the nationalist leaders, including Pandit Nehru, Abul Kalam Azad, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, B. R. Ambedkar and Master Tara Singh agreed to a partition of the country  along religious lines. The predominantly Hindu and Sikh areas were assigned to the new India and predominantly Muslim areas to the new nation of Pakistan; the plan included a partition of the provinces of Punjab and Bengal.

India Independence Day 2011 Celebrations

The Prime Minister of India hoists the Indian flag on the ramparts of the historical site, Red Fort (लाल क़िला), Delhi, on August 15. This is telecasted live on the National Channel Doordarshan and many other News Channels all over India. Flag hoisting ceremonies and cultural programs take place in all the state capitals. In the cities around the country the national flag is hoisted by politicians in their constituencies. In various private organisations the flag hoisting is carried out by a senior official of that organisation. All over the country, flags are given out to citizens who wear them proudly to show their patriotism towards India. Schools and colleges around the country organise flag hoisting ceremonies and various cultural events within their premises, where younger children in costume represent their idols of the Independence era.

Others as home spend this day by watching special programs on TV or going for an outing. Greater part of the individual tune in the morning to Doordarshan to view the live broadcast of Prime Minister’s speech at Delhi at the Red Fort since it’s the highlight of the Independence Day celebration in India. Prime Minister’s speech and nationalistic song and documentaries viewing excerpts from the independence struggle are televised on the local channels, whilst the private TV stations have enough programs to ensure their viewers are pleased throughout the day.

They broadcast cultural shows, movies related to independence, as well as India nationalist songs which relive the patriotism in individuals. Shops across India are instructed to remain closed on the day, but you can see some small stores and groceries open starting late in the afternoon. All offices stay closed on the 15th of August.

A nice and wonderful place to hang out in the middle of the night as the center of attraction on Independence Day is the India Gate because the formation is beautifully illuminated. The sky is occupied with kites of numerous colors and shapes.

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