Interesting facts about 15 August 1947, India's first day of freedom

15 August 1947 is the most special day in India's history — on this day the country became free after about two hundred years of British rule. We celebrate Independence Day every year, yet few people know some of the details of that first day: who chose the date, what happened at midnight, where Gandhiji was, and what was still left to be done.

Why was this date chosen?

The British Parliament had first spoken of handing over power to India by June 1948. But the last Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, decided to do it sooner and chose 15 August. It was the date on which, in 1945, Japan had announced its surrender in the Second World War, when Mountbatten was the Supreme Allied Commander in South-East Asia. The Indian Independence Act was passed on 18 July 1947.

The midnight session

• A special session of the Constituent Assembly began at 11 pm on the night of 14 August, presided over by Dr Rajendra Prasad.
• Just before midnight, Jawaharlal Nehru made his famous speech, "Tryst with Destiny".
• At the stroke of midnight India became free. The moment was greeted with the blowing of conch shells.
• Sucheta Kripalani sang "Vande Mataram" in the session.

Did you know? Mahatma Gandhi was not in Delhi on Independence Day. He was in Beliaghata in Calcutta, fasting and praying to calm the communal riots there.

What happened that day

• Prime Minister and Governor-General: Nehru was sworn in as Prime Minister. Mountbatten became the first Governor-General of independent India; in June 1948 C. Rajagopalachari became the first Indian Governor-General.
• The tricolour: the national flag in its present form had been adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 22 July 1947. The tradition of the Prime Minister hoisting the flag at the Red Fort began on 16 August 1947, when Nehru raised it there for the first time.
• The border came later: the Radcliffe Line, which fixed the India–Pakistan border, was announced on 17 August 1947 — two days after independence.

What was still to come

The princely states and the first stamp

At independence there were more than 560 princely states. Through the efforts of Sardar Patel and V. P. Menon, most of them had signed the "Instrument of Accession" by 15 August 1947, but Hyderabad, Junagadh and Jammu and Kashmir joined India later. Independent India's first postage stamp was issued on 21 November 1947, showing the tricolour and the words "Jai Hind". Money was still counted in "annas" then — the stamp cost three and a half annas.

Who else celebrates freedom on 15 August?

India is not the only country that marks its national day on 15 August. South Korea and North Korea celebrate their liberation from Japanese rule in 1945, the Republic of the Congo became independent from France in 1960, and Bahrain from British protection in 1971. Liechtenstein also celebrates its national day on this date.

Read the whole journey to freedom in Famous slogans of India's freedom struggle, and see the events of every year on this date in 15 August in history.