When Nehru designed a national flag, & more | #230

Do you know the world's youngest Elvis impersonator? 🤯

Nov 16, 2024

Hello friends

The authors of this newsletter were deep in a YouTube rabbit hole when deciding the theme for this week. A flash of inspiration struck thanks to The Algorithm ™️ that auto-played the song Wavin Flag by Somali singer K’Naan.

This week’s newsletter is interesting stories about flag makers.

Things we learnt this week 🤓

Question: Who is the most famous flag designer in the world?
Answer: It’s none other than India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru—who unintentionally moonlighted as a vexillologist at the Bandung Conference in 1955. Sudan, still under colonial rule, found itself without a flag to claim its spot at the table. Nehru, ever the improviser, pulls out his trusty handkerchief and scribbled "Sudan" on it and voilà! Sudan was officially a part of the international community, represented by what can only be described as the minimalist standard of diplomacy. What a sudan moment of inspiration.
The Sudan flag from the Bandung Conference in 1955
Question: What connects Japan, cotton, diamonds, and, most significantly, the Indian flag?
A: The answer is one extraordinary man: Pingali Venkayya—a polymath whose life was as vibrant and multifaceted as the colors of the Indian flag he helped bring to life. In his time, Venkayya wore many titles. As “Patti (Cotton) Venkayya,” he pioneered research into staple varieties of cotton, revolutionizing agricultural practices. His linguistic genius earned him the nickname “Japan Venkayya”after he delivered a full-length speech in Japanese in 1913, cementing his reputation as a polyglot. Later in life, his fascination with gemology led to the title “Diamond Venkayya,” thanks to his insightful writings on the subject. But perhaps his most enduring legacy is the name “Jhanda (Flag) Venkayya,” for his quest to give India its own national emblem. It was at the 22nd Indian National Congress session in 1906 that the sight of the Union Jack stirred Venkayya’s patriotic spirit. He published A National Flag for India in 1916, offering 30 designs. Year after year, he tirelessly advocated for an Indian flag, until 1921, when he presented his design to Mahatma Gandhi. Incorporating saffron and green for communal harmony, and later a white stripe with the Ashok Chakra, his flag became the unifying symbol of India’s struggle for independence. In 1947, Venkayya’s dream became reality. The flag he envisioned was hoisted as the symbol of a free India. From "Patti" to "Jhanda," his many identities reflect a life dedicated to service, intellect, and innovation.

A man of many talents and the flag bearer for India - Pingali Venkayya

If you are a fan of the Bangladesh flag (who isn’t), we must thank Bazlur Rahman Lasker, the owner of Apollo Tailors in Dhaka New Market. A few students at Dhaka University were protesting the atrocities of the West Pakistan government and needed cloth to make a flag. This cloth was provided by Mr Lasker. Initially the map of East Pakistan was traced on paper from an atlas (remember them?) and then transferred onto a red circle by Shib Narayan Das with a green backdrop. Then post independence, realizing the difficulty in tracing out the map again and again - they decided to replace it with a plain circle - the red symbolizes the blood given by the martyrs in the struggle. The flag helps submarines navigate - Amar SONAR Bangla after all!
Imagine drawing the original flag in your geography exam

From IWTK, with love 💌

Which famous Indian song was supposedly “inspired” by this Pakistani song?
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Who started his career as an Elvis impersonator?
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