HP CM Sukhu pays tribute to Pingali Venkayya on birth anniversary
Synopsis
On 2 August, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu paid tribute to Pingali Venkayya, the freedom fighter who designed India's national flag Tiranga, calling his dedication an enduring inspiration for every Indian ahead of Independence Day.
Key Takeaways
The Chief Minister's Office of Himachal Pradesh posted the tribute on 2 August 2026 , marking Pingali Venkayya's birth anniversary.
CM Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu offered 'koti-koti naman' — crores of salutations — to Venkayya in the official message.
Pingali Venkayya , born in present-day Andhra Pradesh , first presented his flag design to Mahatma Gandhi in 1921 .
The tricolour Venkayya designed was adopted as India's national flag on 15 August 1947 .
The tribute comes 13 days before Independence Day , when flag-hoisting ceremonies and civic programmes take place across Himachal Pradesh.
The man who gave India its flag deserves to be remembered. On 2 August, the Chief Minister's Office of Himachal Pradesh posted a tribute marking the birth anniversary of Pingali Venkayya — the freedom fighter and designer of the Tiranga — with Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu offering his respects on behalf of the state.
The message, in Hindi, reads: 'Koti-koti naman' — crores of salutations — to Venkayya, honouring his 'unparalleled dedication, sacrifice, and spirit of service' that, Sukhu wrote, will continue to inspire every Indian toward patriotism and duty.
The man behind the Tiranga
Pingali Venkayya, born in present-day Andhra Pradesh, was a freedom fighter, educationist, and polyglot who devoted years to the idea that a unified India needed a flag of its own. He first presented his design to Mahatma Gandhi in 1921, and the tricolour that India hoisted on 15 August 1947 owes its lineage directly to his vision. Venkayya's contribution sits at the intersection of symbol and sovereignty — a cloth that became a country's conscience.An annual ritual with Independence Day on the horizon
State governments across India mark 2 August each year with tributes to Venkayya, and the timing is deliberate: with Independence Day just thirteen days away on 15 August, the anniversary serves as a natural prelude to flag-hoisting ceremonies, school programmes, and civic observances statewide. Himachal Pradesh, like other states, uses the occasion to reconnect citizens with the story behind the symbol they will salute on Independence Day. For a flag that flies above every government building, school, and parade ground in the country, its designer remains a figure too few Indians can name on instinct. Sukhu's tribute is a small but pointed reminder of that debt.Point of View
The message also serves a soft civic function — reminding Himachalis of the human origin behind a national symbol they encounter daily. Such observances, while ceremonial, form part of a pattern in which state governments use the fortnight before 15 August to build patriotic momentum through heritage messaging. The consistency of these tributes across party lines signals that Venkayya's legacy has achieved rare, non-partisan recognition in Indian political culture.
NationPress
2 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Pingali Venkayya?
Pingali Venkayya was a freedom fighter and educationist from present-day Andhra Pradesh who designed the Indian national flag. He first presented his design to Mahatma Gandhi in 1921 , and the tricolour was officially adopted on 15 August 1947 .
When is Pingali Venkayya's birth anniversary?
Pingali Venkayya's birth anniversary falls on 2 August , and state governments across India mark the day with official tributes ahead of Independence Day.
What did HP CM Sukhu say about Pingali Venkayya?
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu offered 'koti-koti naman' to Venkayya, saying his 'unparalleled dedication, sacrifice, and spirit of service' will continue to inspire every Indian toward patriotism and duty.
Who designed the Indian national flag Tiranga?
Pingali Venkayya designed the Indian national flag. He presented the design to Mahatma Gandhi in 1921 , and the flag was adopted at independence in 1947 .
Why do state governments pay tribute to Pingali Venkayya on 2 August?
2 August is Pingali Venkayya's birth anniversary. State governments use the occasion to honour his role in creating the national flag, particularly as it falls just before Independence Day on 15 August .
