This article introduces you to the elements of India’s national identity. These symbols are inextricably linked to Indian culture and identity. These National Symbols instil a sense of pride and patriotism in the hearts of Indians from various demographic backgrounds all across the world.

India has a plethora of national emblems with which it identifies and takes pride. These images were inspired by India’s diverse flora and animals, as well as its culture and civilisation. These symbols, in a nutshell, explain a lot about India.

National Symbols of India

These National Symbols instil a sense of pride and patriotism in every Indian’s heart, and Indians of different demographic backgrounds around the world are proud of them.

National Flag

The Indian National Flag is a horizontal tricolour with equal proportions of India saffron (kesaria) at the top, white in the middle, and India green at the bottom. The width of the flag is two to three times its length. A navy-blue wheel signifies the chakra in the centre of the white ring.

The country’s power and courage are symbolised by the top saffron colour. With Dharma Chakra, the white centre band represents peace and truth. The colour green represents the land’s fertility, growth, and auspiciousness.

Its design is based on the wheel found on the abacus of Ashoka’s Sarnath Lion Capital. Its diameter is about the same as the white band’s breadth, and it has 24 spokes. On July 22, 1947, the Constituent Assembly of India approved the design for the National Flag.

National Anthem

On numerous occasions, India’s National Anthem is played or sung. From time to time, instructions have been provided regarding the proper versions of the Anthem, the occasions on which they should be performed or sung, and the importance of paying respect to the Anthem by observing proper decorum on such occasions. For general information and advice, the essence of these instructions has been encapsulated in this information sheet.

The full and short version of the National Anthem

The National Anthem of India is a song composed of the words and music of the first stanza of the late poet Rabindranath Tagore’s song ‘Jana Gana Mana.’ It reads as follows:

Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya he

Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.

Punjab-Sindh-Gujarat-Maratha

Dravida-Utkala-Banga

Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga

Uchchala-Jaladhi-taranga.

Tava shubha name jage,

Tava shubha asisa mange,

Gahe tava jaya gatha,

Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he

Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.

Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he,

Jaya jaya jaya, jaya he!

The Anthem is played in its entirety above, and it lasts around 52 seconds. On rare occasions, a shorter version of the National Anthem is performed, containing only of the first and last lyrics. It goes like this:

Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya he

Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.

Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he,

Jaya jaya jaya, jaya he!

The short version lasts approximately 20 seconds.

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National Song

The Sanskrit song Vande Mataram, created by Bankimchandra Chatterjee, served as an encouragement to the people in their fight for independence.

It is on par with Jana-Gana-mana in terms of importance. The 1896 session of the Indian National Congress was the first time it was sung in a political context. The first verse of the poem is as follows:

Vande Mataram!

Sujalam, suphalam, malayaja shitalam,

Shasyashyamalam, Mataram!

Vande Mataram!

Shubhrajyotsna pulakitayaminim,

Phullakusumita drumadala shobhinim,

Suhasinim sumadhura bhashinim,

Sukhadam varadam, Mataram!

Vande Mataram, Vande Mataram!

National Bird

The Indian peacock, Pavo cristatus, is a colourful, swan-sized bird with a fan-shaped crest of feathers, a white patch beneath the eye, and a long, thin neck.

It is India’s National Bird. The male of the species has a more vibrant blue breast and throat, as well as a stunning bronze-green tail with roughly 200 elongated feathers. The female has a brownish coloration, is slightly smaller than the male, and does not have a tail. The male’s complex wooing dance, which includes fanning out the tail and preening the feathers, is breathtaking.

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National Flower

The Lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera Gaertn) is India’s national flower. It is a sacred flower that holds a special place in ancient Indian art and mythology and has served as an auspicious symbol of Indian culture from the dawn of time.

India has a diverse range of plants. According to current data, India ranks tenth in the world and fourth in Asia in terms of plant diversity. The Botanical Survey of India has described 47,000 plant species from nearly 70% of the geographical region covered so far (BSI).

National Fruit

The mango is a fleshy fruit of the tree Mangifera indica that is eaten mature or used green for pickles and other uses. It is one of the most significant and commonly produced fruits in the tropical globe.

Vitamins A, C, and D are abundant in its delicious fruit. Mangoes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colours, and there are over 100 types in India. Mangoes have been grown in India since the dawn of time.

Its praises were sung by the poet Kalidasa. Alexander, like the Chinese traveller Hieun Tsang, enjoyed the taste. In Darbhanga, Bihar, Mughal emperor Akbar planted 100,000 mango trees in a location now known as Lakhi Bagh.

National Game

When it comes to hockey, India has ascended to the top of the podium. With eight Olympic gold medals, our country has a stellar track record. The golden era of Indian hockey occurred from 1928 to 1956, when the Indian hockey team won six consecutive Olympic gold medals. In addition to two more trophies, the team won the 1975 World Cup (silver and bronze). In 1927, the Indian Hockey Federation was granted international affiliation and became a member of the International Hockey Federation.

As India entered the Olympics to begin its golden saga, so began the history of the Indian Hockey Federation. The tour was a major success, with India winning 18 of the 21 matches and the famous Dhyan Chand scoring nearly 100 goals out of the 192 Indian goals accounted for. The match began in Amsterdam in 1928, and India went on to win a hat-trick of gold medals at the Olympics in Los Angeles in 1932 and Berlin in 1936.

National Animal

Panthera tigris, the gorgeous tiger, is a striped animal. It has a fur coat that is thick and yellow with dark stripes. The tiger’s grace, strength, agility, and great power have won it the honour of becoming India’s national animal.

National Emblem

The state emblem was adapted from Ashoka’s Sarnath Lion Capital. An elephant, a galloping horse, a bull, and a lion are separated by intervening wheels over a bell-shaped lotus in the original. They are mounted on an abacus with a frieze holding sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull, and a lion. The Capital is capped with the Wheel of the Law, which was carved out of a single block of polished sandstone (Dharma Chakra).

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National Currency Symbol

The Indian Rupee is a symbol that represents India’s international identity in terms of money transactions and economic prowess. The Indian Rupee symbol represents the Indian ethos. The emblem combines the Devanagari “Ra” and the Roman Capital “R,” with two parallel horizontal stripes going across the top that signifies the national flag as well as the “equal to” sign. The Indian Rupee symbol was chosen by the Indian government on July 15, 2010.

The emblem was picked among thousands of concept entries received by the Ministry of Finance through an open competition among resident Indian nationals. It was conceptualised and developed by Udaya Kumar, a postgraduate in Design from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. Using various digital technology and computer tools, the process of defining and implementing this new identity is already ongoing.