Most Indians can describe the colours without looking: saffron, white and green, with a blue wheel in the middle. But far fewer know that the Flag of India took decades to reach its present form, and that displaying it still comes with a detailed rulebook.

The tiranga is not just a cloth on a pole. It is a national symbol governed by the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 and the Flag Code, which lays down how it should be displayed with dignity and respect. The Ministry of Home Affairs says the flag represents the hopes and aspirations of the people of India and occupies a special place in the country’s emotions.

From Calcutta, 1906, To The Tricolour We Know

The first national flag in India is said to have been hoisted on August 7, 1906, at Parsee Bagan Square in Calcutta. Government-linked New India Samachar notes that this was one of the earliest known versions of a flag representing India’s freedom struggle.

That early design looked very different from today’s Indian flag. It had three horizontal bands and included “Vande Mataram” along with symbols from the period. Over the next four decades, several designs appeared before India settled on the present tricolour.

Who Designed The Present Flag

The present Flag of India is widely credited to Pingali Venkayya, a freedom fighter associated with the design of India’s national flag. PIB says Venkayya designed the flag with saffron, white and green colours and a chakra in the middle at Mahatma Gandhi’s request.

The National Flag of India was adopted in its present form by the Constituent Assembly on July 22, 1947, a few weeks before Independence. PIB records that the flag became the official flag of the Dominion of India on August 15, 1947.

That timing matters. India adopted its flag before it adopted its Constitution.

What The Colours And Chakra Mean

The saffron band is commonly associated with courage and sacrifice. White is linked with peace and truth. Green is read as a symbol of growth, fertility and prosperity.

At the centre is the navy-blue Ashoka Chakra, with 24 spokes. The Government of India’s national portal describes it as the Dharma Chakra, or “wheel of law,” taken from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Emperor Ashoka.

The design also follows a fixed proportion. The Ministry of Home Affairs says the flag must be rectangular, and its length-to-height ratio must be 3:2.

The Rules Many People Still Get Wrong

This is where the story needs an update. Older explainers often say the flag must be made only of khadi. That is no longer fully correct.

The Flag of India can now be made of hand-spun and hand-woven or machine-made cotton, polyester, wool, silk or khadi bunting. PIB says the Flag Code was amended in December 2021 to allow polyester and machine-made flags.

Another outdated claim is that the flag must always be taken down at sunset. The 2022 amendment changed that rule for public/home display. Where the flag is displayed in the open or at the house of a member of the public, it may now be flown day and night.

Some rules remain strict. A damaged or dishevelled flag should not be displayed. No other flag or bunting should be placed higher than, above, or side by side with the national flag. The flag should also occupy the position of honour whenever displayed.

When Citizens Won The Right To Fly It

Before 2002, ordinary citizens did not have the same freedom to hoist the flag on all days. The National Portal of India says the Flag Code was modified on January 26, 2002, after which citizens were allowed to fly the flag at homes, offices and factories on any day, not just national days.

The Supreme Court later held in the Naveen Jindal case that flying the national flag with respect and dignity is a fundamental right under Article 19(1)(a), though it remains subject to reasonable restrictions.

That is why campaigns like Har Ghar Tiranga could ask households to hoist the flag more widely, while still reminding citizens to follow the code.

Why The Flag Still Matters

The Flag of India carries history, law and emotion at the same time. It began as part of a freedom movement, changed through several designs, and finally became the symbol India adopted just before Independence.

But it is also a regulated national symbol. Its size, placement, dignity and display are not left entirely to personal choice.

So the next time the flag goes up outside a home, school or office, there is more behind it than colour and ceremony. There is a story that runs from a Calcutta square in 1906 to a modern rulebook that still tells citizens how to honour it.