History of Republic Day

It was 26th January 1950 one of the most important day in the Indian history as it was on this day when India became a truly sovereign state and the constitution of India came into force. Although India gained independence from the British rule on 15th August 1947 - an occasion marked with the Independence Day celebrations every year whereas the establishment of the Republic actually has its roots in the Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress at midnight of 31st December 1929 -1st January 1930 when the Tri-Color Flag was unfurled by the nationalists and a pledge taken that every year on 26th January, the 'Independence Day' would be celebrated and that the people would unceasingly strive for the establishment of a Sovereign Democratic Republic of India. The professed pledge was successfully redeemed on 26th January 1950, when the Constitution of India framed by the Constituent Assembly of India came into force, although the Independence from the British rule was achieved on 15th August 1947.

The Indian Constituent Assembly met on December 9, 1946. The Assembly appointed a number of committees to report on the various aspects of the proposed constitution. The Indian Constitution was finalized with 395 Articles and eight Schedules, and was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949. The Indian Republic officially came into being on January 26, 1950. January 26 was not some random date picked out of the calendar. It was on this date in 1927, that the Indian National Congress, then fighting its non-violent war for freedom, voted for complete independence as against 'dominion status'. It was the date when members of the INC took the pledge to work towards a 'sovereign democratic republic' of India. After the Constitution was written and adopted on November 1949, 26 January 1950 the following year was chosen as the day when India would finally arrive as a nation, complete with the lengthiest and the most detailed constitution in the world. Since than Republic day is celebrated all over the country. It was on 26th January 1950 that India became a nation in the true sense, with a constitution and elected representatives of the people.