When we think of India’s first flag hoisting, our mind jumps to 15th August 1947 at the Red Fort.But here’s a lesser-known fact—India’s tricolour was first hoisted long before independence, in Paris, 1907.
The Forgotten Story
In August 1907, Madam Bhikaji Cama, a fearless freedom fighter and revolutionary, unfurled the Indian flag at the International Socialist Conference in Stuttgart, Germany. The flag she raised was not exactly like our current tricolour, but it was a bold symbol of resistance against British rule.
Why It Was Important?
At that time, speaking against the British Empire was dangerous, let alone raising a flag of an “unfree” nation.This act sent a strong message to the world that India was ready to fight for freedom.The flag Madam Cama raised had green, yellow, and red stripes, with Vande Mataram written across it in Devanagari script.
Legacy of the First Flag
While our modern tricolour (saffron, white, green with the Ashoka Chakra) was officially adopted in 1947, the courage of Bhikaji Cama inspired generations of freedom fighters to dream of a free India.
Madam Cama’s flag is preserved in a museum in Pune, Maharashtra.
