GK Facts: Independence Day of India, 15th August General Knowledge Facts

15th August:
Do You Know These Facts?

📜 Historical Significance

• Independence Day – India became independent from British rule on 15th August 1947.

• Midnight of Freedom – At midnight on 14th–15th August 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru delivered the famous “Tryst with Destiny” speech.

• Partition of India – Along with independence, the country was partitioned into India and Pakistan on this date.

• First Prime Minister – Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister of independent India.

• Last Viceroy – Lord Mountbatten was the last Viceroy of British India and the first Governor-General of independent India.

🏛 National Symbols and Ceremonies

• Flag Hoisting – On 15th August, the Prime Minister hoists the National Flag at the Red Fort, New Delhi.

• First Flag Hoisting – The first Independence Day flag hoisting at the Red Fort was on 15th August 1947.

• National Anthem – “Jana Gana Mana” by Rabindranath Tagore is sung during celebrations.

• National Song – “Vande Mataram” by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee is also given special respect.

• Cultural Programs – Schools, colleges, and public institutions celebrate with parades, patriotic songs, and skits.

🌍 Global Connections

• Same Date, Other Nations – Countries like South Korea, North Korea, Bahrain, and the Republic of Congo also celebrate their independence on 15th August.

• Japan’s Surrender Day – 15th August 1945 is remembered globally as the day Japan surrendered in World War II.

📌 Lesser-Known Facts

• Tricolour Designer – The Indian National Flag was designed by Pingali Venkayya.

• Mountbatten’s Choice – Lord Mountbatten chose 15th August as it marked Japan’s surrender anniversary, which he considered lucky.

• First Postal Stamp – Independent India issued its first postal stamp on 21st November 1947, featuring the national flag.


🇮🇳 15th August – Independence Day Quiz

1–10

1. India got independence from British rule on:
a) 26 January 1950
b) 15 August 1947 ✅
c) 14 August 1947
d) 2 October 1947
Explanation: India became independent on 15 August 1947 after nearly 200 years of British rule.

2.  The first Prime Minister of independent India was:
a) Sardar Patel
b) Jawaharlal Nehru ✅
c) Rajendra Prasad
d) Subhas Chandra Bose
Explanation: Nehru took the oath on 15 August 1947.

3. The last Viceroy of British India was:
a) Lord Wavell
b) Lord Mountbatten ✅
c) Lord Curzon
d) Lord Linlithgow
Explanation: Mountbatten also became the first Governor-General of independent India.

4.  The designer of the Indian National Flag was:
a) Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
b) Pingali Venkayya ✅
c) Rabindranath Tagore
d) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Explanation: Pingali Venkayya designed the tricolour with saffron, white, green, and Ashoka Chakra.

5.  The famous speech “Tryst with Destiny” was delivered by:
a) Mahatma Gandhi
b) Jawaharlal Nehru ✅
c) Sardar Patel
d) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
Explanation: Nehru gave this speech at midnight on 14–15 August 1947.

6.  On Independence Day, the Prime Minister hoists the flag at:
a) India Gate
b) Rashtrapati Bhavan
c) Red Fort ✅
d) Parliament House
Explanation: This tradition started in 1947.

7. The national song of India is:
a) Jana Gana Mana
b) Vande Mataram ✅
c) Sare Jahan Se Achha
d) Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon
Explanation: Written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.

8. The national anthem of India was written by:
a) Rabindranath Tagore ✅
b) Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
c) Pingali Venkayya
d) Mahatma Gandhi
Explanation: Tagore composed “Jana Gana Mana” in Bengali.

9. Which country also celebrates independence on 15 August?
a) Japan
b) South Korea ✅
c) Sri Lanka
d) Nepal
Explanation: South Korea marks liberation from Japanese rule on this date.

10. The Partition of India created:

a) India and Bangladesh
b) India and Pakistan ✅
c) India and Sri Lanka
d) India and Myanmar
Explanation: Pakistan was formed on 14 August 1947, India on 15 August.

11–20

11. The Indian Independence Act was passed in:
a) 1945
b) 1946
c) 1947 ✅
d) 1948
Explanation: It was passed by the British Parliament in July 1947.

12. The colour at the top of the Indian flag is:
a) Green
b) White
c) Saffron ✅
d) Blue
Explanation: Saffron represents courage and sacrifice.

13. The Ashoka Chakra in the flag has how many spokes?
a) 12
b) 24 ✅
c) 36
d) 18
Explanation: It represents the eternal wheel of law (Dharma Chakra).

14. Who was the Governor-General of Pakistan after independence?
a) Muhammad Ali Jinnah ✅
b) Liaquat Ali Khan
c) Lord Mountbatten
d) Ayub Khan
Explanation: Jinnah became Pakistan’s first Governor-General.

15. Who was the first President of independent India?
a) Dr. Rajendra Prasad ✅
b) Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
c) B.R. Ambedkar
d) C. Rajagopalachari
Explanation: He served from 1950 to 1962.

16. Which leader is known as the “Father of the Nation”?
a) Sardar Patel
b) Mahatma Gandhi ✅
c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
d) Jawaharlal Nehru
Explanation: Gandhi led India’s non-violent independence movement.

17. On Independence Day 1947, Mahatma Gandhi was in:
a) Delhi
b) Kolkata ✅
c) Mumbai
d) Ahmedabad
Explanation: Gandhi was in Kolkata to stop communal violence.

18. The Quit India Movement started in:
a) 1940
b) 1942 ✅
c) 1944
d) 1946
Explanation: It was launched by Gandhi on 8 August 1942.

19. The capital of independent India in 1947 was:
a) Mumbai
b) Delhi ✅
c) Kolkata
d) Lahore
Explanation: Delhi became the political center after independence.

20. Who was the British Prime Minister during India’s independence?
a) Winston Churchill
b) Clement Attlee ✅
c) Neville Chamberlain
d) Harold Macmillan
Explanation: Attlee announced Britain’s decision to leave India.

Here’s the continuation of the 15th August – Independence Day Quiz from Q21 to Q50 with options, correct answers, and explanations.

21–30

• The Indian National Congress was founded in:
a) 1885 ✅
b) 1905
c) 1915
d) 1920
Explanation: Founded by A.O. Hume in 1885, it led India’s freedom struggle.

• Who was the last British commander-in-chief of India?
a) Claude Auchinleck ✅
b) Lord Mountbatten
c) Archibald Wavell
d) John Nicholson
Explanation: Auchinleck served until 1948.

• What does the white colour in the flag represent?
a) Peace and truth ✅
b) Courage
c) Prosperity
d) Strength
Explanation: White stands for truth, peace, and purity.

• The first Independence Day celebration in 1947 lasted for:
a) One day
b) Two days ✅
c) A week
d) One month
Explanation: Celebrations continued on 14 and 15 August.

• Which revolutionary hoisted the flag at Hamburg, Germany in 1907?
a) Madam Bhikaji Cama ✅
b) Sarojini Naidu
c) Annie Besant
d) Aruna Asaf Ali
Explanation: Madam Cama unfurled the flag at the International Socialist Conference.

• Which freedom fighter is known as “Iron Man of India”?
a) Subhas Chandra Bose
b) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ✅
c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak
d) Lala Lajpat Rai
Explanation: Patel was key in integrating princely states after independence.

• The Indian Independence Act divided India into:
a) 2 Dominions ✅
b) 3 Dominions
c) 4 Dominions
d) Provinces only
Explanation: India and Pakistan were created as separate dominions.

• Which leader gave the slogan “Jai Hind”?
a) Subhas Chandra Bose ✅
b) Jawaharlal Nehru
c) Bhagat Singh
d) Mahatma Gandhi
Explanation: Bose popularized this as a greeting and slogan.

• Who was the first woman to hoist the Indian National Flag at the Red Fort?
a) Indira Gandhi
b) Sarojini Naidu
c) Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ✅
d) Aruna Asaf Ali
Explanation: Indira Gandhi hoisted it in her term as PM.

• Who was the first Governor-General of independent India?
a) Lord Mountbatten ✅
b) C. Rajagopalachari
c) Rajendra Prasad
d) Jawaharlal Nehru
Explanation: Served from 1947 to 1948.

31–40

• Who succeeded Lord Mountbatten as Governor-General of India?
a) Rajendra Prasad
b) C. Rajagopalachari ✅
c) Dr. Radhakrishnan
d) Sardar Patel
Explanation: Rajagopalachari was the first Indian Governor-General.

• The national flag was adopted on:
a) 22 July 1947 ✅
b) 15 August 1947
c) 26 January 1950
d) 8 August 1942
Explanation: Adopted by the Constituent Assembly before independence.

• The capital of Pakistan at independence was:
a) Karachi ✅
b) Islamabad
c) Lahore
d) Rawalpindi
Explanation: Karachi was the first capital.

• Who was the first Defence Minister of India?
a) Baldev Singh ✅
b) V.K. Krishna Menon
c) Sardar Patel
d) Rajendra Prasad
Explanation: Baldev Singh served from 1947 to 1952.

• Which Prime Minister’s speech is famous for “Freedom and Responsibility” on Independence Day?
a) Lal Bahadur Shastri ✅
b) Nehru
c) Indira Gandhi
d) Rajiv Gandhi
Explanation: Shastri’s speeches often stressed discipline and duty.

• The British East India Company came to India in:
a) 1600 ✅
b) 1700
c) 1757
d) 1857
Explanation: They arrived in 1600 as traders.

• Which leader gave the slogan “Do or Die”?
a) Mahatma Gandhi ✅
b) Bhagat Singh
c) Subhas Chandra Bose
d) Jawaharlal Nehru
Explanation: It was the call for the Quit India Movement in 1942.

• On 15th August, the President of India:
a) Delivers the Independence Day speech
b) Hosts At Home reception ✅
c) Hoists the flag at Red Fort
d) Visits Parliament
Explanation: The PM hoists the flag; the President hosts a reception.

• Which freedom fighter was called “Punjab Kesari”?
a) Bhagat Singh
b) Lala Lajpat Rai ✅
c) Udham Singh
d) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
Explanation: He was a prominent nationalist leader from Punjab.

• Who became the first Chief Justice of independent India?
a) Harilal J. Kania ✅
b) M. Patanjali Sastri
c) B.K. Mukherjea
d) S.R. Das
Explanation: Kania served from 1950 until his death in 1951.

41–50

• Which movement is also called the August Movement?
a) Non-Cooperation Movement
b) Quit India Movement ✅
c) Civil Disobedience Movement
d) Swadeshi Movement
Explanation: Quit India was launched in August 1942.

• The Indian Independence Bill got royal assent on:
a) 15 July 1947 ✅
b) 15 August 1947
c) 3 June 1947
d) 26 January 1950
Explanation: It received assent a month before independence.

• The Constituent Assembly met for the first time on:
a) 9 December 1946 ✅
b) 26 January 1950
c) 15 August 1947
d) 22 July 1947
Explanation: This was the first meeting to draft the Constitution.

• Who was the first Vice-President of India?
a) Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan ✅
b) Rajendra Prasad
c) Zakir Hussain
d) V.V. Giri
Explanation: Served from 1952 to 1962.

• Which Prime Minister gave the slogan “Garibi Hatao”?
a) Jawaharlal Nehru
b) Indira Gandhi ✅
c) Lal Bahadur Shastri
d) Morarji Desai
Explanation: Indira Gandhi’s slogan in the 1971 elections.

• Who was known as “Netaji”?
a) Subhas Chandra Bose ✅
b) Bhagat Singh
c) Chandrashekhar Azad
d) Mahatma Gandhi
Explanation: Bose led the INA against British rule.

• The Father of the Indian Constitution is:
a) B.R. Ambedkar ✅
b) Jawaharlal Nehru
c) Rajendra Prasad
d) Sardar Patel
Explanation: Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee.

• Who gave the slogan “Swaraj is my birthright”?
a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak ✅
b) Lala Lajpat Rai
c) Bipin Chandra Pal
d) Gopal Krishna Gokhale
Explanation: Tilak used this slogan in the freedom struggle.

• When was the first Independence Day postage stamp issued?
a) 15 August 1947
b) 21 November 1947 ✅
c) 26 January 1950
d) 14 August 1948
Explanation: It depicted the Indian flag with “Jai Hind”.

• The Indian tricolour replaced which flag in 1947?
a) British Union Jack ✅
b) Star of India flag
c) East India Company flag
d) Mughal standard
Explanation: The British flag was lowered for the first time at independence.