Star of India (flag)
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Flag of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India | |
Proportion | 1:2 |
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Adopted | 1885–1947 |
Design | Union Jack defaced with the Order of the Star of India in the center, surmounted by the Tudor Crown. |
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Use | Civil ensign ![]() |
Proportion | 1:2 |
Adopted | 1880–1947 |
Design | Red Ensign with the Union Jack occupying one quarter of the field placed in the canton and defaced with the Order of the Star of India. |
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Use | Naval ensign ![]() |
Proportion | 1:2 |
Adopted | 1879–1947 |
Design | Blue Ensign with the Union Jack occupying one quarter of the field placed in the canton and defaced with the Order of the Star of India. |
The Star of India refers to a group of flags used during the period of British Raj in the Indian subcontinent.[1][2][3] British India had a range of flags for different purposes during its existence. The Princely states had their own flags which were to be flown alongside the British flag as a symbol of suzerainty. The official state flag for use on land was the Union Flag of the United Kingdom and it was this flag that was lowered on Independence Day in 1947. The flag of the Governor-General of India was defaced with the Star of India. The civil ensign and naval ensign, were the Red Ensign or Blue Ensign respectively, defaced with the Star of India emblem.
History
Ideas for a flag for areas under British India were initially imperial ones, rather than nationalist ones. After the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and the later establishment of the British Raj, a representative symbol of the new government was pending. Various designs were proposed for the first Star of India flag in 1863, keeping similar flag designs adopted in other British colonies such as Canada and Australia, combining symbols of Imperial authority such as the Union Jack, the royal crown, with symbols specific to the colony in question. [4]
Company flag
Upon receiving Royal Assent to trade in the Indian Ocean by Queen Elizabeth I in 1600, the English East India Company adopted a flag of thirteen red and white stripes with the flag of England in canton.
After the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the British government passed the Government of India Act 1858, nationalising the East India Company and taking over all of their possessions within India, where they would be considered legally a part of the British Raj. The striped banner of the Company was thus replaced by the Union Jack.
Flags
Blue Ensign
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Ensign of the Royal Indian Marine (later called the Royal Indian Navy).
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Photograph of the Blue Ensign, used as the naval jack of the Royal Indian Navy
After Queen Victoria became Empress of India through the proclamation of 1876, a naval ensign with the symbol of the Order of the Star of India was warranted by the Admiralty to the Indian Marine in 1877. It was used on vessels of Her Majesty's Indian Marine (Later called the Royal Indian Navy) and for other military and naval purposes.
Its usage was altered from 1928, when the Royal Indian Navy switched to White Ensign as naval ensign, and the Blue Ensign became the naval jack.
Red Ensign
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Civil ensign of British India, which was also sometimes used to represent India internationally.
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A Somerset Light Infantry Regiment member hoists the Civil Ensign
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The Red Ensign used to represent India as a member of the Allies in World War II, showing the original United Nations in 1942
While the Blue Ensign was used for military and naval purposes, the Red Ensign was used as the civil ensign, merchant ensign and sometimes represented India in international events, notably in the Declaration by United Nations during World War II.
Flag of the Viceroy and Governor-General
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Flag of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India.
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Indian hockey players arrive in the Netherlands for the 1928 Summer Olympics
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Flag of the Viceroy of India being used to represent India at the 1936 Summer Olympics
From around 1885, the Viceroy of India was allowed to fly a Union Flag augmented in the centre with the 'Star of India' surmounted by a Crown. It was often used to represent India, acting as an "unofficial national flag", in international events etc. This flag was not the Viceroy's personal flag; it was also used by Governors, Lieutenant Governors, Chief Commissioners and other British officers in India. When at sea, only the Viceroy flew the flag from the mainmast, while other officials flew it from the foremast.
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Flag of the Governor-General of the Dominion of India (1947-1950).
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Flag of the Governor-General of the Dominion of Pakistan (1947-1956).
The Star of India series of flags were discontinued from 1947, when the newly independent Dominions of India and Pakistan were established by the Indian Independence Act 1947. The newly formed offices of the Governor-Generals of India and Pakistan used a dark blue flag bearing the royal crest (a lion standing on the Tudor Crown), beneath which were the words 'INDIA' and 'PAKISTAN' in gold majuscules respectively.
These flags were ultimately discontinued when India and Pakistan when they abolished their Dominion status after becoming constitutional republics in 1947 and 1956 respectively.
Royal Indian Army
The British Indian Army used red field emblazoned with Star of India crossed by two swords and beneath the Tudor Crown from 1895 until India's independence in 1947.
The Indian Army Service Corps used a blue ensign with the Union Flag at the canton, and the Star of India crossed by two swords displayed in the fly from 1878 until 1947.
Emblem
Star of India | |
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Armiger | Emperor/Empress of India Viceroy of India |
Adopted | 1861 |
Shield | Silver five pointed star encircled by a blue ribbon bearing the motto of the order atop a gold sunburst. |
Motto | "Heaven's Light Our Guide" |
Order(s) | Order of the Star of India |
Use | Emblem of the Indian Empire, alongside the Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom |
The Star of India was the symbol of the Order of the Star of India, a chivalric order of knighthood. It was a sunburst with twenty-six large rays alternating with twenty-six small rays. In the centre of the sunburst was a light blue ribbon bearing the motto of the Order, Heaven's Light Our Guide. Within the ribbon was a five-pointed star, decorated with diamonds. The motto chosen was neutral so as to appeal to people of different faiths due to the religious diversity of India, with Heaven also referring to the stars, and their light that sailors used to circumnavigate to India. Unlike most British symbols, the Star did not have Christian connotations, as they were deemed unacceptable to the Indian Princes.
Legacy
The flags were replaced by the Tiraṅgā (Indian Tricolour) after Independence on 15 August 1947 in the independent Dominion of India, and by the Flag of Pakistan in the independent Dominion of Pakistan, which used the star as the basis of its Coat of Arms.
The emblem was used as a basis for many emblems of British India and continues to be used in modern India. The emblem is still used as a basis for the logos of many organisations such as The Oriental Insurance Company, Board of Control for Cricket in India, Indian Olympic Association, Mumbai Police etc.
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Insignia of Khatau Mills, Bombay.
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Logo of The Oriental Insurance Company, which draws heavy inspiration from the Star of India
List of flags used in British India
Flag | Date | Description |
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1733–1858 | Flag of the Governors of the Presidency of Fort William (Bengal). Flag of the East India Company. |
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1858–1947 | Flag of the United Kingdom. The official flag of the British Empire |
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1885–1947 | Flag of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India. Often used to represent India in international events etc. |
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1880–1947 | Civil ensign of British India, which was also sometimes used to represent India internationally. |
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1879–1947 | 1879–1928 Naval ensign of the Indian Marine (later called the Royal Indian Marine) 1928–1947 Naval jack of the Royal Indian Marine (later called the Royal Indian Navy). |
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1928–1950 | Ensign of the Royal Indian Marine (later called the Royal Indian Navy). Same as the White Ensign of the Royal Navy |
References
- ^ "The Book of Flags". Oxford University Press. Gordon Campbell & Idrisyn Oliver Evans. 1965.
- ^ "8th/13th Victorian Mounted Rifles Regimental Collection". Victorian Collections. Museums Victoria, Victorian State Government. 14 Dec 2017.
- ^ "FLAGS OF THE BRITISH RAJ & THE INDIAN PRINCELY STATES". War Flags Glossary. Thomas M. Gregg. 7 February 1999.
- ^ Roy, Srirupa (2002). "A symbol of freedom: The Indian flag and the transformations of nationalism" (PDF). The Journal of Asian Studies. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
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