PM Modi Leads the Nation in Paying Tribute to Pingali Venkayya, Designer of India's Tricolor

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tribute to Pingali Venkayya, the late designer of India’s national flag, on his 146th birth anniversary.

In a tweet, Modi said that the country will always remain indebted to Venkayya for giving the Indian people their Tricolour.

In another tweet, the PM also urged his countrymen to change their display picture on all social media platforms to celebrate the Tricolour.

Several federal ministers and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politicians have already changed their photos to the tricolor following Modi's message on Twitter.

To celebrate the contributions of Venkayya to the nation, the Federal Ministry of Culture will organize a “Tiranga Utsav” (Tricolour Festival) in New Delhi, and release a special commemorative postage stamp.

The program will also witness the launch of the “Har Ghar Tiranga” (Tricolour at Every House) anthem and video, as part of the national flag hoisting campaign, which the Prime Minister launched last month.

The federal government has also invited family members of the late Venkayya to the programme.

Meanwhile, apart from Prime Minister Modi, federal Home Minister Amit Shah and several others have also paid their tributes Venkayya.

In a tweet in Hindi, Shah said: “Pingali Venkayya, the creator of the national flag that symbolizes the integrity and respect of the country, worked to unite the nation with the colors of patriotism. Salute to such a great freedom fighter on his birth anniversary, who made his unique contribution for the nation.”

Federal Minister Nitin Gadkari also paid homage to Venkayya as he said in a tweet in Hindi: “Humble salute to the great freedom fighter Pingali Venkaiah on his birth anniversary, who designed the National Flag of India.”

Federal Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region G. Kishan Reddy paid floral tributes to Venkayya at his birthplace in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

India’s main Opposition party - Congress - also paid tribute to Venkayya.

Venkayya, a fervent freedom fighter, was born near Machilipatnam, a city om Andhra Pradesh, on August 2, 1876. He was a farmer, a geologist, a lecturer at the Andhra National College in Machilipatnam, and fluent in Japanese. He also became famous as ‘Japan Venkayya’.

In 1916, he published a book titled ‘A National Flag for India’. The book not only surveyed the flags of other nations but also offered around 30 designs of what could develop into India's national flag.

He died on July 4, 1963.