2018 - First Flag Hoisting Day | Commemorative Coin

The 5th commemorative coin of 2018 was released to mark 75th Anniversary of Hoisting of Tricolour for the first time by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at Port Blair.

The First Flag Hoisting Day commemorates a defining moment in India’s freedom struggle—when the Indian national flag was raised for the very first time on Indian soil as an open act of defiance against colonial rule. This historic event stands as one of the earliest collective assertions of India’s determination to reclaim its independence. While several regional uprisings had already demonstrated resistance to British authority, the symbolic act of hoisting the tricolour represented a conscious, united proclamation of national identity and self-assertion.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose occupies a luminous and immortal place in the chronicles of India’s march to freedom. Revered as Netaji, he possessed an extraordinary vision for an independent India—one that he pursued with unmatched resolve. Through the formation of the Azad Hind Government and the Indian National Army (INA), he transformed the freedom struggle into an international movement and redefined the character of India’s resistance.

A landmark chapter of this journey unfolded on 30th December 1943, when Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose unfurled the National Flag at the Gymkhana Ground—now known as Netaji Stadium—in Port Blair. This was the first time the tricolour was officially hoisted on liberated Indian soil, marking the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as the first Indian territory freed from British occupation. It was a moment of immense symbolic power, reflecting not only the INA’s growing momentum but also the collective aspiration of millions awaiting India’s freedom.

Netaji’s arrival in Port Blair on 29th December 1943 was itself a moment charged with emotion and significance. He landed at the Port Blair aerodrome accompanied by Sarvashri Anand Mohan Sahay, Captain Rawat (ADC), and Col. D.S. Raju, his personal physician. They were received with full honours by the Japanese admiral and were greeted with enthusiastic warmth by Indians and Burmese who sensed the magnitude of the occasion. The atmosphere echoed with hope, pride, and the shared yearning to see India rise as a free nation.

The events of December 1943 continue to resonate across generations, encapsulating the spirit of sacrifice, courage, and unwavering determination that shaped India’s freedom movement. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s bold actions on that day not only challenged the might of imperialism but also ignited a flame of national confidence that would burn brightly until independence was achieved. The First Flag Hoisting Day stands today as a powerful reminder of a nation’s indomitable will and the extraordinary leaders who carried its aspirations forward.

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