For children: How SP Bose and Hemchandra Kanungo created an early ‘Indian’ flag in 1906

In 1613, the British East India Company set up their first trading centre at Surat. Soon, the armies of the East India Company grew so powerful that they began defeating local rulers and taking over their kingdoms. Wars of rebellion broke out in different corners of India. Long before the first War of Independence in 1857, a group of chieftains or Paliyakkarars from Tamil Nadu fought against the East India Company troops from 1798 – 1805 (the Polygar Wars). Between 1766 and 1799, four Mysore Wars were fought between the British and Hyder Ali (and later his son Tipu Sultan).

There were many fierce tribal rebellions against the British too, the most famous being the uprising led by Birsa Munda. Anti-British wars were fought in Punjab and many other regions. Unfortunately, all these battles were localised and not part of a pan-India movement.

The Partition of Bengal changed the political climate in India. Protests that broke out in Bengal quickly spread to the rest of India. Suddenly, gaining Independence became a goal shared by people across the subcontinent. Yet this powerful pan-India movement did not have a unifying flag which could be a symbol of the people’s struggle! So, many patriotic Indians (and...

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