• Are we celebrating our 76th or 77th Independence Day? Check details here

    OffBeat
    Are we celebrating our 76th or 77th Independence Day? Check details here
    Several institutions and significant buildings across the country are illuminated in the colours of the national flag...

    Digital Desk: On August 15, India will celebrate its Independence Day. After a protracted battle, India gained independence from the British colonial overlords in 1947. Independence Day commemorates and remembers the sacrifices made by freedom warriors who battled for our country's independence. 

    On this day, several institutions and significant buildings throughout the country are lighted in the colours of the national flag. Our first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, delivered a landmark address titled 'Tryst With Destiny' the night before India gained independence.

    As the day approaches, there is some contradiction about whether India will celebrate its 76th or 77th Independence Day. 

    The debate rests around two beliefs: Should the day be counted from August 15, 1947, when India gained independence, or from a year later, when it celebrated its first anniversary?

    If we count the day of independence, India will be celebrating its 77th anniversary of independence. However, the count begins on August 15, 1948, and ends on the 76th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

    The 76th Independence Day was observed on August 15, 2022, according to the government agency Press Information Bureau (PIB). So, according to the system our government employs, this will be India's 77th Independence Day.

    The Red Fort in Delhi remains the focus of attention in the days rushing up to the Independence Day celebrations. Jawaharlal Nehru delivered his famous 'Tryst With Destiny' address from the walls of the renowned Red Fort. It has since become a custom.