🇮🇳 National Symbols of India – Static GK Table
🇮🇳 National Symbols of India – Static GK Table ______________________________________________________________
1. National Emblem – Lion Capital of Ashoka
- Adopted: 26 January 1950
- Origin: Replica of the Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath
- Motto: Satyameva Jayate (“Truth Alone Triumphs”) – from Mundaka Upanishad
- Design: Four Asiatic lions standing back to back, mounted on a circular base with a horse, bull, elephant, and lion separated by a Dharma Chakra
- Official Usage:
- Government documents and official letterheads
- Currency notes and coins
- Seals of government offices
- Importance: Symbolizes power, courage, pride, and confidence
2. National Flag – Tricolor (Tiranga)
- Adopted: 22 July 1947
- Design: Horizontal tricolor of saffron (top), white (middle), green (bottom) with Ashoka Chakra (navy blue, 24 spokes) in the center
- Designer: Pingali Venkayya
- Proportion: 3:2
- Official Usage:
- Hoisted on Republic Day and Independence Day
- Used by government offices, schools, and ceremonies
- Importance: Represents courage (saffron), peace and truth (white), and fertility and growth (green)
- Trivia: The Ashoka Chakra represents the eternal wheel of law
3. National Anthem – Jana Gana Mana
- Adopted: 24 January 1950
- Writer: Rabindranath Tagore
- First Sung: 1911, Kolkata session of the Indian National Congress
- Duration: ~52 seconds
- Official Usage:
- Begins sessions of Parliament and official ceremonies
- Played in schools and government functions
- Importance: Symbol of national unity and pride
4. National Song – Vande Mataram
- Adopted: 26 January 1950
- Writer: Bankim Chandra Chatterjee (Anandamath)
- First Sung: 1896, Kolkata Congress session
- Official Usage:
- Ends sessions of Parliament
- Used in cultural and patriotic functions
- Importance: Evokes love for motherland and freedom struggle sentiment
5. National Calendar – Saka Samvat
- Adopted: 22 March 1957
- Starting Month: Chaitra
- Official Usage:
- Government documents, Gazette notifications
- Indian newspapers often show both Gregorian and Saka dates
- Importance: Provides uniform civil calendar for administration
6. National Animal – Tiger
- Declared: 1973 (Project Tiger)
- Scientific Name: Panthera tigris
- Official Usage:
- Wildlife conservation programs
- Symbol of strength and power in government insignia
- Importance: Represents courage, strength, and the wildlife heritage of India
7. National Bird – Peacock
- Declared: 1963
- Scientific Name: Pavo cristatus
- Official Usage:
- Featured in official stamps and currency notes
- Importance: Symbol of grace, beauty, and cultural heritage
8. National Flower – Lotus
- Declared: 1950
- Scientific Name: Nelumbo nucifera
- Official Usage:
- Emblem of Indian culture, art, and literature
- Used in official emblems and decorations
- Importance: Symbol of purity, spiritual enlightenment, and resilience
9. National Fruit – Mango
- Declared: Date not officially notified but widely recognized
- Scientific Name: Mangifera indica
- Official Usage:
- Featured in agricultural exhibitions
- Importance: Known as the “King of Fruits,” represents India’s agricultural richness
10. National Tree – Banyan
- Declared: Notified by the Government
- Scientific Name: Ficus benghalensis
- Official Usage:
- Conservation efforts and cultural symbolism
- Importance: Represents longevity, shelter, and Indian heritage
11. National River – Ganga
- Declared: 2008
- Length: 2525 km
- Origin: Gangotri Glacier
- Falls Into: Bay of Bengal
- Official Usage:
- National water resource management
- Religious and cultural symbolism
- Importance: Sacred river, vital for ecology and human civilization
12. National Aquatic Animal – Gangetic Dolphin
- Declared: 5 October 2009
- Scientific Name: Platanista gangetica
- Official Usage:
- Focus of aquatic conservation programs
- Importance: Indicator of freshwater ecosystem health
13. National Heritage Animal – Asian Elephant
- Declared: 1992 (Project Elephant)
- Scientific Name: Elephas maximus indicus
- Official Usage:
- Wildlife conservation and tourism
- Importance: Represents heritage, strength, and cultural tradition
Last updated: —
Loading updates…