National Symbols and National Leaders Chapter Notes | Preparation for NCEE - Primary 6 PDF Download

Introduction

India is our country, and it has special things that show who we are. These special things are called national symbols. They tell us about our history and culture. We also have great leaders who worked hard to make India free from British rule. They loved our country and gave their lives for us. In this chapter, we will learn about our national symbols and the leaders who made India free.

Our National Symbols

National symbols are special things like anthems, emblems, flags, songs, and more. They show the history and different things of a nation, like India. These symbols do not show values but tell us about our country's past and variety.
We will learn about them one by one:

The National Flag

• Our national flag is a rectangle with three horizontal bands of the same size.
• It is called a tiranga because it has three colors.
• The top band is saffron, which stands for courage of the country.
• The middle band is white, which means peace and truth.
• The bottom band is green, which shows fertility, growth, and prosperity of our land.
• In the center of the white band, there is a navy blue wheel with 24 spokes called the Ashoka Chakra.
• The wheel stands for motion and progress.
• We hoist the national flag on Independence Day and Republic Day.
• The flag should never touch the ground.
• Here are some rules to follow while hoisting the flag:
  • The flag can be flown only from sunrise to sunset.
  • It must always be unfurled only at the top of the mast.
  • In a procession, the flag must always be carried in front.
  • It must always be carried over the right shoulder.
  • The saffron color should always be on top.
  • We must not hoist a dirty or torn flag.
  • When the flag is being hoisted, we must stand at attention and salute it.

Fun Fact

Our national flag was designed by Pingali Venkayya.

The National Emblem

• The national emblem is the seal of the Government of India.
• We see it on government papers, coins, currency notes, envelopes, Indian passports, and more.
• It was taken from the Lion Capital of a pillar built by Emperor Ashoka at Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.
• The pillar has four lions facing the four directions, but only three lions can be seen at a time in the emblem.
• At the base, there is a wheel in the center.
• A bull is on the right and a horse is on the left of the wheel.
• The words "Satyamev Jayate," meaning "truth only triumphs," are written below in Devanagari script.
• This symbol was adopted by our country on 26 January 1950.

The National Anthem

• Our national anthem is "Jana Gana Mana."
• It was written by Rabindranath Tagore.
• It was adopted as our national anthem on 24 January 1950.
• It was first written in Bengali but later translated into Hindi.
• The complete song has five stanzas, but only the first stanza is our national anthem.
• The song should be sung within 52 seconds.
• We sing it to pay tribute to our country.
• We stand at attention when it is sung.
• We sing the national anthem on national days, functions, and international events.

The National Song

• Our national song is "Vande Mataram."
• It was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
• This song was sung by Rabindranath Tagore during the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.
• It gave inspiration during the freedom struggle.

Fun Fact

"Vande Mataram" first appeared in a novel called "Anandamath." It was originally written as a poem in honor of Goddess Durga by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.

The National Animal

• The Royal Bengal Tiger is our national animal.
• It stands for power and majesty.
• It also shows India's wildlife, strength, and power.

The National Bird

• The peacock is the national bird of India.
• It stands for beauty, grace, and pride.
• It is a protected bird, and no one is allowed to hunt it.

The National Flower

• The lotus is our national flower.
• It stands for purity, beauty, and knowledge.
• It is a sacred flower and has an important place in Indian culture.

The National Tree

• The banyan tree is our national tree.
• It is a huge tree and lives for a long time.
• It is considered a symbol of immortality.

The National Fruit

• Mango is our national fruit.
• It shows the tropical climate of India.
• There are more than 100 varieties of mangoes in India.

The National Game

• Hockey is our national game.
• Between 1928 and 1956, India played 24 hockey matches at the Olympics and won them all.
• This period is known as the Golden Era of Indian hockey.

The National River

• River Ganga is the national river of India.
• It is considered a sacred river by the people.
• Many cities are situated on the banks of River Ganga.

National Leaders

Our national leaders are a big part of our history and culture. They fought against the British rule to make India free. Many of them gave their lives for this great cause.
We will learn about some of these great personalities:

Mahatma Gandhi

• Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 at Porbandar, in Gujarat.
• We celebrate his birthday as Gandhi Jayanti.
• He played a big role in the freedom movement against the British rule.
• He studied Law in England and went to South Africa to work as a lawyer.
• In South Africa, he saw that people were treated as slaves by the British rulers.
• He decided to fight against this injustice with the weapon of truth, called satyagraha.
• He led the freedom struggle against the British rule when he returned to India.
• He followed the principles of non-violence and non-cooperation during the freedom movement.
• India got freedom on 15 August 1947.
• Gandhiji led a very simple life and followed the principle of truthfulness throughout his life.
• Rabindranath Tagore gave him the title "Mahatma" because of his simplicity, straightforwardness, and loyalty to the nation.
• We also call him "Bapu" and he is known as the "Father of our Nation."
• Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead by Nathuram Godse on 30 January 1948.
• This day is observed as Martyrs' Day in our country.

Fun Fact

Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography is titled "My Experiments with Truth."

Jawaharlal Nehru

• Jawaharlal Nehru was born on 14 November 1889 at Prayagraj (earlier known as Allahabad) in Uttar Pradesh.
• He studied Law and started his career as a lawyer.
• Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's movement and policies, he joined the Indian National Congress and fought for Indian independence.
• When India became independent, he was chosen as the first Prime Minister.
• Along with other leaders, he made many plans to develop our country.
• He loved children, so his birthday, 14 November, is celebrated as Children's Day in India.
• Children affectionately called him "Chacha Nehru."

Fun Fact

Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the first President of India.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

• Subhas Chandra Bose is also known as Netaji.
• He was born on 23 January 1897 in Cuttack.
• He resigned from the Indian Civil Services to join the freedom movement in 1921.
• During the struggle for freedom, Netaji reorganized the Azad Hind Fauj or the Indian National Army (INA).
• INA was formed by raising an army of 40,000 soldiers outside India.
• He formed the army with the help of Japan to fight against the British rule and free India.
• Netaji inspired many Indians to join the freedom struggle with his call "Give me blood, and I shall give you freedom!"
• His slogan "Jai Hind" is still used as a sign of respect for our country.

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

• Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was fondly known as Baba Saheb.
• He was born on 14 April 1891 in a poor family in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.
• With hard work and determination, he went to London to complete his higher studies.
• Under the leadership of Dr Ambedkar, our country's rule book was written.
• It is called the Constitution of India.
• It came into effect on 26 January 1950.
• Since then, 26 January is celebrated as Republic Day every year.
• Dr. Ambedkar is known as the Father of the Indian Constitution.
• He was also the first law minister of independent India.

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

• Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a scholar and a great teacher.
• He was born on 5 September 1888 at Thiruthani in Tamil Nadu.
• He did very well in his studies and started his career as a teacher.
• His students admired his principles and values.
• He became the first Vice-President of independent India.
• He was the second President of the country.
• His birthday is celebrated as Teachers' Day every year.
• Many other great leaders of India are respected and remembered for their selfless and noble service, and their contribution to the progress of our nation.

Points To Remember

• A national symbol represents something that is special to a country.
• The Lion Capital is the national emblem of our country.
• The national flag is called the tricolor.
• The national anthem was composed by Rabindranath Tagore, and the national song was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
• The other national symbols include the national animal, bird, flower, tree, fruit, game, and river.
• The leaders who fought for the freedom of our country and built a new India are our national treasures.
• Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, Dr B. R. Ambedkar, and Dr S. Radhakrishnan are some of our national leaders.

Glossary

• Adopted: Acquired; taken
• Erected: Build; constructed
• Immortality: Ability to live forever or for a long time
• Tropical climate: Relating to hot climate
• Non-violence: Peaceful method
• Non-cooperation: Refusing to do anything