3 weeks ago
Har Ghar Tiranga global: Suryapath Tiranga relay spans 54 countries
India celebrates its Independence Day on August 15 every year.
People wave the national flag, which is called the Tricolour.
This year, India wants the whole world to join the celebration.
A special event called 'Suryapath Tiranga' will pass pictures of the Indian flag from one country to the next, following the sun from east to west.
Indian embassies and consulates in 54 countries will take part, starting in Fiji and ending in San Francisco.
The flag's journey will be tracked online from the evening of August 14 to the evening of August 15.
There will also be quizzes, photo contests and art workshops for Indians living abroad.
The event is part of a nine-day celebration called Har Ghar Tiranga, which means 'Tricolour in every home'.
This year also marks 150 years of the national song Vande Mataram, and people are invited to sing it online.
Some politicians disagree about how strongly the national song should be encouraged, which has caused a debate.
"Suryapath Tiranga," a symbolic relay of India's flag hosting ceremony, will run from the Indian High Commission in Fiji to the consulate in San Francisco across 54 countries.
Digital tracking of the Indian flag hoisting will begin as the first rays of the sun touch the Earth, from the evening of August 14 until the evening of August 15.
The nine-day Har Ghar Tiranga campaign runs from August 9 to August 17, featuring events such as 'Selfie with Tiranga', bike rallies, military band performances and mass singing of Vande Mataram.
Diaspora competitions include the 'Bharat ko Janiye' quiz (also referred to as 'Bharat Ko Jano') and 'India Through My Lens' photo contest, along with art workshops in partnership with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
Vande Mataram's 150th anniversary is a key focus, and Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 extending legal protection to the National Song — a move opposition parties criticised.
- Who
- Ministry of External Affairs' Additional Secretary and spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal and Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
- What
- The Har Ghar Tiranga campaign goes global with the 'Suryapath Tiranga' digital relay of the tricolour across 54 Indian missions, along with diaspora competitions and Vande Mataram events.
- Where
- From the Indian High Commission in Fiji in the east to the consulate in San Francisco in the west; announced at Delhi's Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA).
- When
- Announced on Thursday, August 7; the nine-day campaign runs from August 9 to 17, with flag hoisting tracked from the evening of August 14 to the evening of August 15.
- Why
- To unite 140 crore Indians in a shared tribute to the Tricolour, mark the fifth edition of the campaign since 2022 and feature the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram.
Government's Stance
Opposition's Stance
Emphasis on Vande Mataram vs National Anthem
Government's Stance
The government urges people to learn and sing the full stanzas of Vande Mataram to mark its 150th anniversary, with Shekhawat alleging the original stanzas were fragmented by the government after Independence.
Opposition's Stance
Opposition parties argued the ruling dispensation has attempted to pit the National Song against the National Anthem.
Legal protection and mandatory singing
Government's Stance
Parliament passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, extending the same legal protection to Vande Mataram that is afforded to the National Anthem, making it an offence to intentionally prevent its singing.
Opposition's Stance
Some opposition members alleged that mandatory singing of Vande Mataram at various events is a way to 'force nationalism' on people.
Key facts
- Campaign
- Har Ghar Tiranga (fifth edition; launched 2022)
- Global relay
- Suryapath Tiranga digital relay of tricolour images
- Missions involved
- 54 Indian high commissions, embassies and consulates
- Campaign duration
- August 9 to August 17 (nine days)
- Flag hoisting tracking window
- Evening of August 14 to evening of August 15
- Endpoints
- Indian High Commission, Fiji (east) to consulate, San Francisco (west)
- Vande Mataram
- 150th anniversary; karaoke-style renditions recorded via dedicated portal
- Competitions
- 'Bharat ko Janiye'/'Bharat Ko Jano' quiz; 'India Through My Lens' photo contest; painting and art workshops with ICCR
Quotes
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal
Passport and diplomatic affairs spokesperson
“"Suryapath Tiranga," a symbolic relay of India’s flag hosting ceremony across the globe, spanning from the Indian High Commission in Fiji Island in the East to the Western‑most Consulate office in San Francisco, will be one of the key focuses of the government’s this year’s Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign, said officials from the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday.”
thestatesman.com
“Calling the initiative an “innovative way of celebration”, Randhir Jaiswal, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs, said that high commission offices and consulates across 54 countries have been selected for the campaign.”
thestatesman.com
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
Union Tourism and Culture Minister
“Union Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said this year’s Har Ghar Tiranga campaign marks the fifth edition of the initiative since its launch in 2022. He said the campaign seeks to unite 140 crore Indians through a shared tribute to the Tricolour and will also place special emphasis on the national song Vande Mataram as part of the Independence Day celebrations.”
thestatesman.com
Sources
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