National Symbols
| Title | Symbol | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| National flag | Flag of India by Pingali Venkayya(Indian Tricolour) |
A horizontal tricolour of saffron at the top, white in the middle, and green at the bottom. In the centre is a navy blue wheel with twenty-four spokes, known as the Ashoka Chakra. | |
| National emblem | National Emblem of India (Lion Capital of Asoka) |
It was adopted as the National Emblem of India on 26 January 1950, the day that India became a republic. The Emblem also consists the motto of India - "Satyameva Jayate" in Devnagari Script, which means "Truth Alone Triumphs". | |
| National calendar | Indian national calendar (Saka calendar) |
The calendar was introduced by the Calendar Reform Committee in 1957, as part of the Indian Ephemeris and Nautical Almanac, which also contained other astronomical data, as well as timings and formulae for preparing Hindu religious calendars, in an attempt to harmonise this practice. Despite this effort, local variations based on older sources such as the Surya Siddhanta may still exist.
Usage officially started at Chaitra 1, 1879 Saka Era, or March 22, 1957. |
|
| National anthem | "Jana Gana Mana" by Rabindranath Tagore |
"Jana Gana Mana" was officially adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the Indian national anthem on January 24, 1950. | |
| National song | Vande Mataram by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee |
The first political occasion where "Vande Mataram" was sung was the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress. | |
| National flower | Indian lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) |
Lotus is a sacred flower and occupies a unique position in the art and mythology of ancient India and has been an auspicious symbol of Indian culture. | |
| National fruit | (Mango) |
In India, there are over 100 varieties of mangoes, in different sizes, shapes and colours. Mangoes have been cultivated in India from time immemorial. The poet Kalidasa sang its praises. Alexander savoured its taste, as did the Chinese pilgrim Hieun Tsang. Mughal emperor Akbar planted 100,000 mango trees in Darbhanga, Bihar at a place now known as Lakhi Bagh. | |
| National river | Ganga | Ganga is the longest river of India with the most heavily populated river basin in the world. The river is revered by Hindus as the most sacred river on earth. | |
| National tree | Indian Banyan or Indian fig tree (Ficus bengalensis) |
The branches of Indian Banyan tree root themselves to form new trees and grow over large areas. Because of this characteristic and its longevity, this tree is considered immortal and is an integral part of the myths and legends of India. | |
| National animal | Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris) |
The Bengal tiger can be found throughout the country except in the north-western region. | |
| National aquatic animal | Gangetic Dolphin (Platanista gangetica) |
Gangatic Dolphin is said to represent the purity of the holy Ganga as it can only survive in pure and fresh water. | |
| National bird | Indian Peacock (Pavo cristatus) |
The peacock is designated as the national bird of India. | |
| National Currency Symbol | Indian Rupee | The symbol of Indian Rupee signifies India's international identity for money transactions and economic strength. The Indian Rupee sign is an allegory of Indian ethos. The symbol is an amalgam of Devanagari "Ra" and the Roman Capital "R" with two parallel horizontal stripes running at the top representing the national flag and also the "equal to" sign. The Indian Rupee sign was adopted by the Government of India on 15th July, 2010.
The symbol, conceptualised and designed by Udaya Kumar, a post graduate in Design from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, has been chosen from thousands of concept entries received by the Ministry of Finance through an open competition among resident Indian nationals. The process of establishing and implementing this new identity is underway through various digital technology and computer applications |
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