Independence Day (India)

Public holiday celebrated on 15 August

"15 August 1947" and "August 15, 1947" redirect here. For other uses, see August 1947 § August 15, 1947 (Friday).

The flag of India hoisted at the Red Fort in Delhi; hoisted flags are a common sight on Independence Day.

Observed by| India
Type| Public
Significance| Commemorates the independence of India
Celebrations| Flag hoisting, parade, fireworks, singing patriotic songs and the National Anthem Jana Gana Mana, speech by the Prime Minister of India and the President of India
Date| 15 August
Next time| 15 August 2025 (2025-08-15)
Frequency| Annual
First time| 15 August 1947 (77 years ago) (1947-08-15)
Related to| Republic Day

Part of a series on the

History of India
Timeline

Prehistoric

* Paleolithic
* Masol c. 2.6 Ma
* Riwat c. 2.5 Ma
* Madrasian culture c. 1.5 Ma
* Soanian c. 500,000 BCE
* Neolithic, c. 7600 – c. 1000 BCE
* Bhirrana 7570 – 6200 BCE
* Jhusi 7106 BCE
* Lahuradewa 7000 BCE
* Koldihwa 7000 BCE
* Mehrgarh 7000 – 2600 BCE
* South Indian Neolithic 3000 – 1000 BCE

Ancient

* Indus Valley Civilization, c. 3300 – c. 1700 BCE
* Post Indus Valley Period
(Cemetery H Culture), c. 1700 – c. 1500 BCE
* Vedic civilization, c. 1500 – c. 500 BCE
* Kuru kingdom, c. 1200 – c. 500 BCE
* Early Vedic period
* Rise of Śramaṇa movement
* Later Vedic Period
* Spread of Jainism – Parshvanatha
* Spread of Jainism – Mahavira
* Rise of Buddhism

* Kingdom of Magadha
* Brihadratha Dynasty 1700 - 682 BCE
* Haryanka Dynasty 544 – 413 BCE
* Shaishunaga Dynasty 413 – 345 BCE
* Nanda Dynasty, 345 – 322 BCE
* Mahajanapadas, c. 600 – 345 BCE

Classical

* Kingdom of Magadha
* Maurya Dynasty, 322 – 185 BCE
* Pandya Dynasty, 320 BCE - 280 CE
* Shunga Dynasty, 185 – 73 BCE
* Kanva Dynasty, 73 – 28 BCE
* Sangam period 300 BCE – 400 CE
* Kushan Dynasty, c. 30 – c. 375 CE
* Satavahana Dynasty, c. 228 BCE – c. 224 CE
* Gupta Dynasty, c. 240 – c. 550 CE

Early medieval

* Pallava dynasty, 275 CE - 897 CE
* Chalukya Dynasty, 543 – 753 CE
* Pandya Dynasty, 590 CE - 920 CE
* Harsha's Dynasty, c. 606 CE – c. 647 CE
* Karakota Dynasty, c. 724 – c. 760 CE
* Arab Invasion, c. 738 CE
* Tripartite Struggle, c. 760 – c. 973 CE
* Pratihara dynasty
* Rastrakuta Dynasty
* Pala Dynasty
* Chola Dynasty, c. 848 – c. 1251 CE
* 2nd Chalukya Dynasty, c. 973 – c. 1187 CE

Late medieval

* Delhi Sultanate, 1206 – 1526 CE
* Mamluk Dynasty
* Khalji Dynasty
* Tugluq Dynasty
* Sayyid Dynasty
* Lodhi Dynasty
* Pandyan Empire, 1251 – 1618 CE
* Vijayanagara, 1336 – 1646 CE
* Bengal Sultanate, 1342 – 1576 CE

Early modern

* Mughal Dynasty, 1526 – 1540 CE
* Suri Dynasty, 1538/40 – 1556 CE
* Mughal Dynasty, 1556 – 1857 CE
* Bengal Subah, c. 1576 – c. 1757 CE
* Maratha Empire, c. 1674 – c. 1818 CE
* Company Raj, c. 1757 – c. 1858 CE
* Kingdom of Mysore, c. 1760 – c. 1799 CE
* Sikh Empire, c. 1799 – c. 1849 CE

Modern

* The Great Rebellion, 1857 – 1858 CE
* British Raj, 1858 – 1947 CE
* Independence Movement
* Independent India, 1947 CE – present
* Dominion of India, 1947 – 1950 CE
* Republic of India, 1950 CE – present

Related articles

* Timeline of Indian History
* Dynasties in Indian History
* Economic History
* Demographic History
* Linguistic History
* Architectural History
* Art History
* LGBT history
* Literary History
* Philosophical History
* History of Religion
* Musical History
* Education History
* Coinage History
* Paper Currency History
* Science and Technology History
* List of Inventions and Discoveries
* Military History
* Naval History
* Wars involving India

* v
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* e

Independence Day is celebrated annually on 15 August as a public holiday in India commemorating the nation's independence from the United Kingdom on 15 August 1947. On this day the Indian Independence Act 1947 came into effect, transferring legislative sovereignty to the Indian Constituent Assembly. India attained independence following the independence movement noted for largely non-violent resistance and civil disobedience led by Indian National Congress under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.[1]

Independence coincided with the partition of India,[2] in which British India was divided into the Dominions of India and Pakistan; the partition was accompanied by violent riots and mass casualties. On 15 August 1947, the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru raised the Indian national flag above the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort in Delhi. On each subsequent Independence Day, the incumbent Prime Minister customarily raises the flag and gives an address to the nation.[3] The entire event is broadcast by Doordarshan, India's national broadcaster, and usually begins with the shehnai music of Ustad Bismillah Khan. Independence Day is observed throughout India with flag-hoisting ceremonies, parades and cultural events. It is a national holiday in the country.[4][5][6]

## History

[edit]

Main article: Indian independence movement

European traders had established outposts in the Indian subcontinent by the late 17th century. Through overwhelming military strength, the East India Company fought and annexed local kingdoms and established themselves as the dominant force by the 18th century. Following the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Government of India Act 1858 led the British Crown to assume direct control of India. In the decades following, civic society gradually emerged across India, most notably the Indian National Congress Party, formed in 1885.[7][1]: 123 The period after World War I was marked by colonial reforms such as the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms, but it also witnessed the enactment of the unpopular Rowlatt Act and calls for self-rule by Indian activists. The discontent of this period crystallised into nationwide non-violent movements of non-cooperation and civil disobedience, led by Mahatma Gandhi.[1]: 167

During the 1930s, the reform was gradually legislated by the British; Congress won victories in the resulting elections.[1]: 195–197 The next decade was beset with political turmoil: Indian participation in World War II, the Congress' final push for non-cooperation, and an upsurge of Muslim nationalism led by the All-India Muslim League. The escalating political tension was capped by Independence in 1947. The jubilation was tempered by the bloody partition of colonial India into India and Pakistan.[1]: 203

### Independence Day before Independence

[edit]

Hasrat Mohani was the first person in Indian History who demanded 'Complete Independence' (Azadi-e-Kaamil), at the 1929 session of the Indian National Congress, the Purna Swaraj declaration, or "Declaration of the Independence of India" was promulgated,[8] and 26 January was declared as Independence Day in 1930.[8] The Congress called on people to pledge themselves to civil disobedience and "to carry out the Congress instructions issued from time to time" until India attained complete independence.[9] Celebration of such an Independence Day was envisioned to stoke nationalistic fervour among Indian citizens, and to force the British government to consider granting independence.[10]: 19 The Congress observed 26 January as the Independence Day between 1930 and 1946.[11][12] The celebration was marked by meetings where the attendants took the "pledge of independence".[10]: 19–20 Jawaharlal Nehru described in his autobiography that such meetings were peaceful, solemn, and "without any speeches or exhortation".[13] Gandhi envisaged that besides the meetings, the day would be spent " ... in doing some constructive work, whether it is spinning, or service of 'untouchables,' or reunion of Hindus and Mussalmans, or prohibition work, or even all these together".[14] Following actual independence in 1947, the Constitution of India came into effect on and from 26 January 1950; since then 26 January is celebrated as Republic Day.

### Immediate background

[edit]

In 1946, the Labour government in Britain, its exchequer exhausted by the recently concluded World War II, realised that it had neither the mandate at home, the international support nor the reliability of native forces for continuing to maintain control in an increasingly restless India.[1]: 203 [15][16][17] On 20 February 1947, Prime Minister Clement Attlee announced that the British government would grant full self-governance to British India by June 1948 at the latest.[18]

The new viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, advanced the date for the transfer of power, believing the continuous contention between the Congress and the Muslim League might lead to a collapse of the interim government.[19] He chose the second anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II, 15 August, as the date of power transfer.[19] The British government announced on 3 June 1947 that it had accepted the idea of partitioning British India into two states;[18] the successor governments would be given dominion status and would have an implicit right to secede from the British Commonwealth. The Indian Independence Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo 6 c. 30) of the Parliament of the United Kingdom partitioned British India into the two new independent dominions of India and Pakistan (including what is now Bangladesh) with effect from 15 August 1947, and granted complete legislative authority upon the respective constituent assemblies of the new countries.[20] The Act received royal assent on 18 July 1947.

### Partition and independence

[edit]

Jawaharlal Nehru delivering his speech, Tryst with Destiny, on the eve of India's first independence day.

Millions of Muslim, Sikh and Hindu refugees trekked the newly drawn borders in the months surrounding independence.[21] In Punjab, where the borders divided the Sikh regions in halves, massive bloodshed followed; in Bengal and Bihar, where Mahatma Gandhi's presence assuaged communal tempers, the violence was mitigated. In all, between 250,000 and 1,000,000 people on both sides of the new borders died in the violence.[22] While the entire nation was celebrating the Independence Day, Gandhi stayed in Calcutta in an attempt to stem the carnage.[23] On 14 August 1947, the Independence Day of Pakistan, the new Dominion of Pakistan came into being; Muhammad Ali Jinnah was sworn in as its first Governor General in Karachi.

The Constituent Assembly of India met for its fifth session at 11 pm on 14 August in the Constitution Hall in New Delhi.[24] The session was chaired by the president Rajendra Prasad. In this session, Jawaharlal Nehru delivered the Tryst with Destiny speech proclaiming India's independence.

> 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. 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. It is fitting that at this solemn moment, we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.

> — Tryst with Destiny speech, Jawaharlal Nehru, 15 August 1947[25]

The members of the Assembly formally took the pledge of being in the service of the country. A group of women, representing the women of India, formally presented the national flag to the assembly.

The Dominion of India became an independent country as official ceremonies took place in New Delhi. Nehru assumed office as the first prime minister, and the viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, continued as its first governor general.[26]: 6 Gandhi's name was invoked by crowds celebrating the occasion; Gandhi himself however took no part in the official events. Instead, he marked the day with a 24-hour fast, during which he spoke to a crowd in Calcutta, encouraging peace between Hindus and Muslims.[26]: 10

## Celebration

[edit]

> 08.30 am. Swearing in of governor general and ministers at
>  Government House
> 09.40 am. Procession of ministers to Constituent Assembly
> 09.50 am. State drive to Constituent Assembly
> 09.55 am. Royal salute to governor general
> 10.30 am. Hoisting of national flag at Constituent Assembly
> 10.35 am. State drive to Government House
> 06.00 pm. Flag ceremony at India Gate
> 07.00 pm. Illuminations
> 07.45 pm. Fireworks display
> 08.45 pm. Official dinner at Government House
> 10.15 pm. Reception at Government office.

The day's programme for 15 August 1947[26]: 7

Armed forces saluting the national flag Parade on independence day Motor cycle stunts on Independence day Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the Nation on the occasion of 74th Independence Day from the ramparts of Red Fort, in Delhi on 15 August 2020.

Independence Day, one of the three National holidays in India (the other two being the Republic Day on 26 January and Mahatma Gandhi's birthday on 2 October), is observed in all Indian states and union territories. On the eve of Independence Day, the President of India delivers the "Address to the Nation". On 15 August, the Prime Minister hoists the Indian flag on the ramparts of the historical site of Red Fort in Delhi.[3] In his speech, the Prime Minister highlights the past year's achievements, raises important issues and calls for further development. He pays tribute to the leaders of the Indian independence movement. The Indian national anthem, "Jana Gana Mana", is sung. The speech is followed by a march past of divisions of the Indian Armed Forces and paramilitary forces. Parades and pageants showcase scenes from the independence struggle and India's diverse cultural traditions. Similar events take place in state capitals where the Chief Ministers of individual states unfurl the national flag, followed by parades and pageants.[27][28] Until 1973, the Governor of the State hoisted the National Flag at the State capital. In February 1974, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi took up the issue with then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi that the Chief Ministers, like the Prime Minister, should be allowed to hoist the national flag on Independence Day. Since 1974, Chief Ministers of the respective states have been allowed to hoist the national flag on Independence Day.[29][30]

Flag-hoisting ceremonies and cultural programmes take place in governmental and non-governmental institutions throughout the country.[31] Schools and colleges conduct flag hoisting ceremonies and various cultural events. Governmental and non-governmental institutions decorate their premises with paper, balloon decorations with hangings of freedom fighter portraits on their walls and major government buildings are often adorned with strings of lights.[32] In Delhi and some other cities, kite flying adds to the occasion.[33][34] National flags of different sizes are used abundantly to symbolise allegiance to the country.[35] Citizens adorn their clothing, wristbands, cars, household accessories with replicas of the tri-colour.[35] Over a period of time, the celebration has changed emphasis from nationalism to a broader celebration of all things India.[36][37]

In some places of Nadia, West Bengal, Independence Day celebrated on 17–18 August instead of 15 August, as the rest of Nadia district except Nabadwip had become part of Pakistan for map drawing error. The error was corrected on the night of 17 August after popular protests.[38][39]

The Indian diaspora celebrates Independence Day around the world with parades and pageants, particularly in regions with higher concentrations of Indian immigrants.[40] In some locations, such as New York and other US cities, 15 August has become "India Day" among the diaspora and the local populace. Pageants celebrate "India Day" either on 15 August or an adjoining weekend day.[41]

## Security threats

[edit]

As early as three years after independence, the Naga National Council called for a boycott of Independence Day in northeast India.[42] Separatist protests in this region intensified in the 1980s; calls for boycotts and terrorist attacks by insurgent organisations such as the United Liberation Front of Assam and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, marred celebrations.[43] With increasing insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir from the late 1980s,[44] separatist protesters boycotted Independence Day there with bandh (strikes), use of black flags and by flag burning.[45][46][47] Terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Jaish-e-Mohammed have issued threats, and have carried out attacks around Independence Day.[48] Boycotting of the celebration has also been advocated by insurgent Maoist rebel organisations.[49][50]

In the anticipation of terrorist attacks, particularly from militants, security measures are intensified, especially in major cities such as Delhi and Mumbai and in troubled states such as Jammu and Kashmir.[51][52] The airspace around the Red Fort is declared a no-fly zone to prevent aerial attacks[53] and additional police forces are deployed in other cities.[54]

Since the assassination of Indira Gandhi, prime ministers would give their speeches from behind a bullet-proof glass panel.[55] Since 2014, when Narendra Modi was elected as prime minister, he did away with this tradition.[56] Nevertheless, additional intense measures were taken to ensure security of Modi.[57]

## In popular culture

[edit]

On Independence Day and Republic Day, patriotic songs in regional languages are broadcast on television and radio channels.[58] They are also played alongside flag-hoisting ceremonies.[58] Patriotic films are broadcast.[31] Over the decades, according to The Times of India, the number of such films broadcast has decreased as channels report that audiences are oversaturated with patriotic films.[59] The population belonging to Generation Y often combine nationalism with popular culture during the celebrations. This mixture is exemplified by outfits and savouries dyed with the tricolour and garments that represent India's various cultural traditions.[36][60] Shops often offer Independence Day sales promotions.[61][62] Some news reports have decried the commercialism.[61][63][64] Indian Postal Service publishes commemorative stamps depicting independence movement leaders, nationalistic themes and defence-related themes on 15 August.[65]

Independence and partition inspired literary and other artistic creations.[66] Such creations mostly describe the human cost of partition, limiting the holiday to a small part of their narrative.[67][68] Salman Rushdie's novel Midnight's Children (1980), which won the Booker Prize and the Booker of Bookers, wove its narrative around children born at midnight of 14–15 August 1947 with magical abilities.[68] Freedom at Midnight (1975) is a non-fiction work by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre that chronicled the events surrounding the first Independence Day celebrations in 1947. Few films centre on the moment of independence,[69][70][71] instead highlighting the circumstances of partition and its aftermath.[69][72][73] On the Internet, Google has been commemorating Independence Day of India since 2003 with a special doodle on its Indian homepage.[74]

## See also

[edit]

* India portal
* Holidays portal

* Partition Horrors Remembrance Day
* History of India
* Indian Independence Day Parade
* 75th Year of Independence Day of India

## References

[edit]

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"Rebels Call for I-Day Boycott in Northeast". Rediff. 10 August 2010. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
Biswas, Prasenjit; Suklabaidya, Chandan (6 February 2008). Ethnic Life-Worlds in North-East India: an Analysis. SAGE. p. 233\. ISBN 978-0-7619-3613-8. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
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44. ^ Heiberg, Marianne; O'Leary, Brendan; Tirman, John (2007). Terror, Insurgency, and the State: Ending Protracted Conflicts. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 254\. ISBN 978-0-8122-3974-4. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
45. ^ "Kashmir Independence Day Clashes". BBC. 15 August 2008. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
46. ^ Behera, Navnita Chadha (2007). Demystifying Kashmir. Pearson Education India. p. 146\. ISBN 978-81-317-0846-0. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
47. ^ Das, Suranjan (1 August 2001). Kashmir and Sindh: Nation-Building, Ethnicity and Regional Politics in South Asia. Anthem Press. p. 49\. ISBN 978-1-898855-87-3. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
48. ^ "LeT, JeM Plan Suicide Attacks in J&K on I-Day". The Economic Times. 14 August 2002. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
"Ayodhya Attack Mastermind Killed in Jammu". OneIndia News. 11 August 2007. Archived from the original on 13 May 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
"LeT to Hijack Plane Ahead of Independence Day?". The First Post. 12 August 2012. Archived from the original on 14 August 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
"Two Hizbul Militants Held in Delhi". NDTV. 7 August 2009. Archived from the original on 14 December 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
49. ^ "Maoist Boycott Call Mars I-Day Celebrations in Orissa". The Hindu. 15 August 2011. Archived from the original on 11 September 2011. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
50. ^ Verma, Bharat (1 June 2012). Indian Defence Review Vol. 26.2: Apr–Jun 2011. Lancer Publishers. p. 111\. ISBN 978-81-7062-219-2. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
51. ^ Ramgopal, Ram (14 August 2002). "India Braces for Independence Day". CNN. Retrieved 18 July 2012.[dead link‍]
52. ^ "US Warns of India Terror Attacks". BBC. 11 August 2006. Archived from the original on 30 May 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
53. ^ "Rain Brings Children Cheer, Gives Securitymen a Tough Time". The Hindu. 16 August 2011. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
54. ^ "India Heightens Security ahead of I-Day". The Times of India. 14 August 2006. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
55. ^ "PM Narendra Modi says no to bullet-proof shield at Red Fort". The Economic Times. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
56. ^ "How PM Modi got bullet-proof shield out of his way". Hindustan Times. 15 August 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
57. ^ Sikdar, Shubhomoy (15 August 2014). "Tight security as Modi does away with bullet-proof shield". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
58. ^ a b Nayar, Pramod K. (14 June 2006). Reading Culture: Theory, Praxis, Politics. SAGE. p. 57\. ISBN 978-0-7619-3474-5. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
59. ^ Pant, Nikhila; Pasricha, Pallavi (26 January 2008). "Patriotic Films, Anyone?". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
60. ^ Vohra, Meera; Shashank Tripathi (14 August 2012). "Fashion fervour gets tri-coloured!". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
61. ^ a b Sharma, Kalpana (13 August 2010). "Pop Patriotism—Is Our Azaadi on Sale?". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
62. ^ Basu, Sreeradha D; Mukherjee, Writankar (14 August 2010). "Retail Majors Flag Off I-Day Offers to Push Sales". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
63. ^ Chatterjee, Sudeshna (16 August 1997). "The Business of Patriotism". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
64. ^ Sinha, Partha (18 September 2007). "Commercial Patriotism Rides New Wave of Optimism". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
65. ^ "Indian Postage Stamps Catalogue 1947–2011" (PDF). India Post. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
66. ^ Cleary, Joseph N. (3 January 2002). Literature, Partition and the Nation-State: Culture and Conflict in Ireland, Israel and Palestine. Cambridge University Press. p. 104\. ISBN 978-0-521-65732-7. Archived from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2012. "The partition of India figures in a good deal of imaginative writing..."
67. ^ Bhatia, Nandi (1996). "Twentieth Century Hindi Literature". In Natarajan, Nalini (ed.). Handbook of Twentieth-Century Literatures of India. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 146–147\. ISBN 978-0-313-28778-7. Archived from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2012.146-147&rft.pub=Greenwood+Publishing+Group&rft.date=1996&rft.isbn=978-0-313-28778-7&rft.aulast=Bhatia&rft.aufirst=Nandi&rft_id=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lTnv6o-d_oC&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Independence+Day+(India)" class="Z3988">
68. ^ a b Roy, Rituparna (15 July 2011). South Asian Partition Fiction in English: From Khushwant Singh to Amitav Ghosh. Amsterdam University Press. pp. 24–29\. ISBN 978-90-8964-245-5. Archived from the original on 2 June 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2012.24-29&rft.pub=Amsterdam+University+Press&rft.date=2011-07-15&rft.isbn=978-90-8964-245-5&rft.aulast=Roy&rft.aufirst=Rituparna&rft_id=https://books.google.com/books?id=HCQfRFr6iMgC&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Independence+Day+(India)" class="Z3988">
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* v
* t
* e

Public holidays in India

National holidays|

* Republic Day
* Independence Day
* Gandhi Jayanti

Central holidays|

* Buddha Purnima
* Christmas Day
* Dussehra (Vijayadashami)
* Diwali
* Good Friday
* Guru Nanak's Birthday
* Eid ul-Fitr
* Eid-ul Zuha
* Mahavir Jayanti
* Muharram
* Prophet Mohammad's Birthday

State holidays
(differ by states)|

| Harvest festival|

* Bhogi
* Chapchar Kut
* Kanum Pongal
* Kati Bihu
* Lohri
* Magh Bihu
* Maghi
* Makar Sankranti
* Onam
* Surya Pongal
* Uzhavar Thirunal
* Thiruvonam
* Wangala

|

New year's days|

* Bohag Bihu
* Cheiraoba
* Gudi Padwa
* Losoong
* Losar
* Nauroz
* New Year's Day
* New Year's Eve
* Pana Sankranti
* Parsi New Year Day
* Pohela Boishakh
* Puthandu
* Sajibu Nongma Panba
* Sarhul
* Ugadi
* Vaisakhi
* Vishu
* Vikram Samvant

State days|

* Arunachal Pradesh Statehood Day
* Asom Day
* Bihar Day
* Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava
* Goa Liberation Day
* Gujarat Day
* Haryana Day
* Himachal Day
* Jammu and Kashmir Accession day
* Kannada Rajyothsava
* Maharashtra Day
* Mizoram State Day
* Nagaland State Inauguration Day
* Odisha Day
* Puducherry De Jure Transfer Day
* Puducherry Liberation Day
* Sikkim State Day
* Telangana Formation Day

Birth and anniversary days|

* Ambedkar Jayanti
* Babu Jag Jivan Ram's Birthday
* Basava Jayanti
* Bhanu Jayanti
* Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti
* Guru Ghasidas Jayanti
* Guru Ravidass Jayanti
* Heroes' Martyrdom Day
* Janmotsav
* Kabir Jayanti
* Kanakadasa Jayanthi
* Kazi Nazrul Islam Jayanti
* Maharaja Agrasen Jayanti
* Maharaja Hari Singh Ji's Birthday
* Maharana Pratap Jayanti
* Martyrs' Day
* Netaji's Birthday
* Pa Togan Sangma
* Rabindranath Tagore's Birthday
* Ramdev Jayanti
* Shaheed Udham Singh Jayanti
* Shaheedi Diwas
* Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's Birthday
* Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi
* Sree Narayana Guru Samadhi
* Swami Vivekananda's Birthday
* Thiruvalluvar Day
* U Soso Tham Death Anniversary
* U Kiang Nangbah
* U Tirot Sing Day

Religious festivals|

| Hindu|

* Akshaya Tritiya
* Ayudha Puja
* Bathukamma
* Bhai Dooj
* Bonalu
* Chhath
* Egas Bagwal
* Dol Jatra
* Durga Puja
* Ganesh Chaturthi
* Garia Puja
* Ghatasthapana
* Govardhan Puja
* Hanuman Jayanti
* Hartalika Teej
* Haryali Teej
* Holi
* Holika Dahan
* Jhulan Purnima
* Kali Puja
* Kartika Purnima
* Ker Puja
* Kharchi Puja
* Krishna Janmashtami
* Lakshmi Puja
* Maha Ashtami
* Maha Navami
* Maha Saptami
* Maha Shivaratri
* Mahalaya
* Maharshi Parasuram Jayanti
* Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti
* Nag Panchami
* Navratri
* Raja Parba
* Raksha Bandhan
* Ram Navami
* Rath Jatra
* Ratha Saptami
* Rahasa Purnima
* Teja Dashmi
* Thaipusam
* Vasant Panchami
* Vishwakarma day

|

Buddhist|

* Dosmoche
* Drupka Teshi
* Lhabab Duchen
* Pang-Lhabsol

Muslim|

* Chehlum
* Jumat-ul-Vida
* Mohm Hajarat Ali
* Shab-I-Qadr

Christian|

* Feast of St. Francis Xavier
* Easter
* Missionary Day

Sikh|

* Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti
* Guru Hargobind Ji's birthday
* Parkash Utsav Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
* Sri Guru Arjun Dev Ji's Martyrdom Day
* Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji's Martyrdom Day

Jain|

* Samvatsari

Indigeneous|

* Behdienkhlam
* Indigenous Faith Day
* Gaan-Ngai
* Imoinu Iratpa
* Indrajatra
* Lui Ngai Ni
* Me-Dam-Me-Phi
* Ningol Chakouba
* Nuakhai
* Tendong Lho Rumfaat
* Yaosang

Others|

* May Day
* MHIP day
* Remna Ni
* Panchayatiraj Divas
* Patriot's day
* Seng Kut Snem
* YMA Day

* v
* t
* e

Indian independence movement

History|

* Colonisation
* Porto Grande de Bengala
* Dutch Bengal
* East India Company
* British Raj
* French India
* Portuguese India
* Battle of Plassey
* Battle of Buxar
* Anglo-Mysore Wars
* First
* Second
* Third
* Fourth
* Anglo-Maratha Wars
* First
* Second
* Third
* Gwalior
* Polygar Wars
* Vellore Mutiny
* First Anglo-Sikh War
* Second Anglo-Sikh War
* Sannyasi rebellion
* Rebellion of 1857
* Radcliffe Line
* more

Philosophies
and ideologies|

* Ambedkarism
* Gandhism
* Hindu nationalism
* Indian nationalism
* Khilafat Movement
* Muslim nationalism in South Asia
* Satyagraha
* Socialism
* Swadeshi movement
* Swaraj

Events and
movements|

* Partition of Bengal (1905)
* Partition of Bengal (1947)
* Revolutionaries
* Direct Action Day
* Delhi-Lahore Conspiracy
* The Indian Sociologist
* Singapore Mutiny
* Hindu–German Conspiracy
* Champaran Satyagraha
* Kheda Satyagraha
* Rowlatt Committee
* Rowlatt Bills
* Jallianwala Bagh massacre
* Noakhali riots
* Non-cooperation movement
* Christmas Day Plot
* Coolie-Begar movement
* Chauri Chaura incident, 1922
* Kakori conspiracy
* Qissa Khwani massacre
* Flag Satyagraha
* Bardoli
* 1928 Protests
* Nehru Report
* Fourteen Points of Jinnah
* Purna Swaraj
* Salt March
* Dharasana Satyagraha
* Vedaranyam March
* Chittagong armoury raid
* Gandhi–Irwin Pact
* Round table conferences
* Act of 1935
* Aundh Experiment
* Indian Legion
* Cripps Mission
* Quit India
* Bombay Mutiny
* Royal Air Force strikes
* Coup d'état of Yanaon
* Provisional Government of India
* Independence Day
* Praja Mandala movement
* Lucknow Pact

Organisations|

* All India Kisan Sabha
* All-India Muslim League
* Anushilan Samiti
* Arya Samaj
* Azad Hind
* Berlin Committee
* Ghadar Movement
* Hindustan Socialist Republican Association
* Indian National Congress
* India House
* Indian Home Rule movement
* Indian Independence League
* Indian National Army
* Jugantar
* Khaksar movement
* Khudai Khidmatgar
* Swaraj Party
* more

Social
reformers|

* Ashfaqulla Khan
* A. Vaidyanatha Iyer
* Ayya Vaikundar
* Ayyankali
* B. R. Ambedkar
* Baba Amte
* Bal Gangadhar Tilak
* Dayananda Saraswati
* Dhondo Keshav Karve
* G. Subramania Iyer
* Gazulu Lakshminarasu Chetty
* Gopal Ganesh Agarkar
* Gopal Hari Deshmukh
* Gopaldas Ambaidas Desai
* Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
* J. B. Kripalani
* Jyotirao Phule
* Kandukuri Veeresalingam
* Mahadev Govind Ranade
* Mahatma Gandhi
* Muthulakshmi Reddy
* Narayana Guru
* Niralamba Swami
* Pandita Ramabai
* Periyar
* Ram Mohan Roy
* Rettamalai Srinivasan
* Sahajanand Saraswati
* Savitribai Phule
* Shahu
* Sister Nivedita
* Sri Aurobindo
* Syed Ahmad Khan
* Vakkom Moulavi
* Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
* Vinoba Bhave
* Vitthal Ramji Shinde
* Vivekananda

Independence
activists|

* Abul Kalam Azad
* Accamma Cherian
* Achyut Patwardhan
* A. K. Fazlul Huq
* Alluri Sitarama Raju
* Annapurna Maharana
* Annie Besant
* Ashfaqulla Khan
* Babu Kunwar Singh
* Bagha Jatin
* Bahadur Shah II
* Bakht Khan
* Bal Gangadhar Tilak
* Basawon Singh
* Begum Hazrat Mahal
* Bhagat Singh
* Bharathidasan
* Bhavabhushan Mitra
* Bhikaiji Cama
* Bhupendra Kumar Datta
* Bidhan Chandra Roy
* Bipin Chandra Pal
* C. Rajagopalachari
* Chandra Shekhar Azad
* Chetram Jatav
* Chittaranjan Das
* Dadabhai Naoroji
* Dayananda Saraswati
* Dhan Singh
* Dukkipati Nageswara Rao
* Gopal Krishna Gokhale
* Govind Ballabh Pant
* Har Dayal
* Hemu Kalani
* Inayatullah Khan Mashriqi
* Jatindra Mohan Sengupta
* Jatindra Nath Das
* Jawaharlal Nehru
* K. Kamaraj
* Kanaiyalal Maneklal Munshi
* Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
* Khudiram Bose
* Shri Krishna Singh
* Lala Lajpat Rai
* M. Bhaktavatsalam
* M. N. Roy
* Maghfoor Ahmad Ajazi
* Mahadaji Shinde
* Mahatma Gandhi
* Mangal Pandey
* Mir Qasim
* Mithuben Petit‎
* Mohammad Ali Jauhar
* Muhammad Ali Jinnah
* Muhammad Mian Mansoor Ansari
* Nagnath Naikwadi
* Nana Fadnavis
* Nana Saheb
* P. Kakkan
* Prafulla Chaki
* Pritilata Waddedar
* Purushottam Das Tandon
* Rafi Ahmed Kidwai
* R. Venkataraman
* Rahul Sankrityayan
* Rajendra Prasad
* Ram Prasad Bismil
* Rani Lakshmibai
* Rash Behari Bose
* Sahajanand Saraswati
* Sangolli Rayanna
* Sarojini Naidu
* Satyapal Dang
* Shuja-ud-Daula
* Shyamji Krishna Varma
* Sibghatullah Shah Rashidi
* Siraj ud-Daulah
* Subhas Chandra Bose
* Subramania Bharati
* Subramaniya Siva
* Surya Sen
* Syama Prasad Mukherjee
* Tara Rani Srivastava
* Tarak Nath Das
* Tatya Tope
* Tiruppur Kumaran
* Ubaidullah Sindhi
* V. O. Chidamabaram
* V. K. Krishna Menon
* Vallabhbhai Patel
* Vanchinathan
* Veeran Sundaralingam
* Vinayak Damodar Savarkar
* Virendranath Chattopadhyaya
* Yashwantrao Holkar
* Yogendra Shukla
* more

British leaders|

* Wavell
* Canning
* Cornwallis
* Irwin
* Chelmsford
* Curzon
* Ripon
* Minto
* Dalhousie
* Bentinck
* Mountbatten
* Wellesley
* Lytton
* Clive
* Outram
* Cripps
* Linlithgow
* Hastings

Independence|

* Cabinet Mission
* Constitution
* Republic of India
* Indian annexation of Goa
* Indian Independence Act
* Partition of India
* Political integration
* Simla Conference

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