A giant National Flag mounted on a 108-foot mast was dedicated to the nation at Nagpur’s historic Sitabuldi Fort on Monday, with retired Major General Ashim Kohli, Sena Medal, Chief Executive Officer of the Flag Foundation of India, urging citizens to not only exercise their right to hoist the Tricolour but also understand the responsibility of honouring it with dignity and pride.
The monumental flag has been installed jointly by the Flag Foundation of India and the Headquarters Uttar Maharashtra and Gujarat (UMANG) Sub Area at the historic fort, which was the site of the Battle of Sitabuldi fought between the Bhonsles and British forces.
Addressing the gathering, Major General Kohli traced the journey of the Indian National Flag from its use during the freedom struggle to its formal adoption by the Constituent Assembly on July 22, 1947. He explained that the Ashoka Chakra replaced the spinning wheel (charkha) in the final design to ensure uniformity on both sides of the flag while symbolising righteousness, progress and continuous movement.
Highlighting the right of citizens to fly the National Flag, Kohli recalled industrialist Naveen Jindal’s legal battle that led to the Supreme Court’s landmark 2004 judgment, which recognised every Indian’s right to hoist the Tricolour with dignity throughout the year.
“For nearly 57 years after Independence, ordinary citizens could not unfurl the National Flag every day. The Supreme Court’s historic verdict restored that right, allowing every Indian to proudly display the Tricolour at homes, offices and institutions,” he said.
He also urged people to familiarise themselves with the Flag Code of India, emphasising that the privilege of flying the National Flag comes with the responsibility of treating it with the utmost respect.
General Officer Commanding, Headquarters UMANG Sub Area, Major General Navtej Singh Sohal described the Tricolour as a symbol of India’s unity, integrity and the sacrifices made by the country’s armed forces.
The ceremony was attended by senior serving and retired defence personnel, including Deputy GOC Brigadier Abhijeet Valimbe, NDRF Academy Director Brigadier R Sathya Narayanan, Defence PRO Group Captain R Kannan, Group Captain Sarthi, Brigadier Niranjan S. Jog, Special Inspector General of Police (Nagpur Range) Sandeep Patil, Nagpur Municipal Commissioner Dr Vipin Itankar, South East Central Railway DRM Deepak Kumar Gupta, Vice Admiral Kishor Thakre (Retd), Major General Anil Bam (Retd), Brigadier Suhas Kulkarni (Retd), Flight Lieutenant Shivali Deshpande (Retd), along with veterans, defence personnel and NCC cadets.
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