Classroom Internet Exchange
Letters from India

Here are some of the topics covered by our students in Mumbai, India :

Republic Day

Dear Friend,

26th January is Indian Republic Day. Our country became independent on 15th August 1947. We became free from British rule. Our country's constitution was passed on 26th January 1950. Under the constitution India became a Republic country.

This 26th January (1999) was our 49th Republic Day and last 15th August was our 51st Independence Day.

On Republic Day a large and fantastic Military Parade is held in New Delhi (capital of India). Everybody must have seen this parade on T.V. It was a wonderful sight.

In all small and big cities Republic Day is observed by flag salution, meetings and functions.

We all feel proud about Repubulic day.

Your Friend, Pratik (boy)

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Dear friend,

Our great leaders like Gandhi and Javaharlal Nehru faught for the independence of the country.

India got independance 15 August 1947. They had strruguled to get rid of the rule of Britishers. After three years they passed the Indian constitution. This day 26th January 1950, was known as Republic Day.

On this day we accapted the emblem which has a wheel on the center, a bull on the right and a horse on the left. The wheel symbolize, the progress and movement. The horse is considered to be a symbol of speed and vigour while the bull shows contest on labour and firmness.

On Republic day, we hoist our flag on the Red Fort. This is done by our Prime Minister. He gives us a lecture for his hopes and progress of the country.

We have parades in the school. There is an annual day on this day, where the Principal hoists the flag and gives prizes to the best students in the different subjects.

This day is celebrated with lots of patriotism and love for the country. We end this day by singing our national Anthem "Jana Gana Mana".

Jai Hind!

Geet (boy)

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Dear Friend,

On 15 August 1947 India became independent, but she became a sovereign Democratic Republic on 26th January 1950. The Indian constitution came into effect from that day. Since then this day is celebrated as the Republic day.

New Delhi, the capital of our country, is the main centre of the Republic day celebrations. People throng the Red Fort grounds in thousands to witness our tri-colour (Indian flag) being unfurled by our President and listen to his message to the nation.

The disciplined march-past of the Jawans [soldiers] of the fighting service is an attractive and a thrilling scene to watch.

From your friend, Nevil (boy)

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Dear friend,

India became a Sovereign Democratic Republic on 26th January, 1950.

The Republic day is also a day of oath and vow for us.

We should vow that we shall preserve and safeguard the freedom and integrity of our country at any cost.

We should take an oath that we shall do our best for the welfare, peace and prosperity of our beloved country.

We should swear to serve our country with dedication and devotion, with sincrity and prosperity of country alone, lies our glorious future.

your friend Ojas (boy)

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Dear Friend,

Republic Day is as important as Independence Day. We formed our constitution on 26th January 1950. Our country became a Republic on that day. Since then we have been celebrating this day every year.

The various rights and duties of citizens of India were defined. We derive pride and self-confidence while celebrating the Republic Day. On that day we take a pledge to do our best to keep our country safe and sound.

In our shcool we celebrate Republic Day. In the morning we go to the ground and hoist our Tri-colour flag. On that day we also have march-pass, N.C.C.and different fnctions.

The Tri-colour flag has three colours, saffron (orange) which stands for people who struggled for our country's freedom, white stands for peace and green stands for greenery, our agricultural country. The blue 'Chakra' (wheel) stands for unity of the different peoples of our country.

Your Friend, Parth (boy)

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Dear Keypals,

We had our republic Day that is on 26th January. This is a national holiday. On this day in the year 1950, we had our own parliament.

The first prime Minister of India was Jawaharlal Nehru.

There were many leaders who fought to make India free from the British rulers. It was not an easy job. They held sessions and some meetings to decide what could be done but after Britishers knew about it, they also banned the public meetings. When holding meetings, the political leaders had to bear all types of suffering like they were beaten badly by the British officers and put into prisons.

After the British government understood that the Indians now wouldn't stop for succeeding to get Independence, they left India and ultimately we got freedom. The Indians got the right to make their own government.

After hearing all the stories, I am proud that I am an Indian.

Ruchi (girl)

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Dear Friends,

The Indian National Congress held its annual session at Lahore in December 1929 . Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru presided over this session. Complete independence for India was declared to be the aim of the Congress. A resolution was passed acccordingly.

It was decided to observe the 26 January 1930 as a national day to broadcast this dicision to all of the India. There were huge meetings at many places. People everywhere took a vow to fight for freedom.

This is the reason why 26 January is regarded as an important day.

Umang (boy)

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Dear Keypal,

The 26th of January is our Republic day. It means that according to our constitution there can be no king hereditary or otherwise, as the head of the state, but the president elected by the people is the head. In the republic we have a government of the people by the people for the people. This is the meaning of Republic.

On this day we celebrate Republic day in schools and colleges. We have parades and marching on the school ground.

In New Delhi at Red Fort, the President of India hoists the Indian flag, called the Tricolour. The three colours of the flag are saffron, white and green. Saffron for sacrifice, White for peace, and green for prosperity. In the centre of the flag there is a Ashoka Chakra which is blue in colour which means 24 hours a day.

Bhavi (girl)

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Dear friend,

Every Independent country has its own flag. The tri-colour or tri-ranga is our national flag. The top band is saffron, white band is in the middle and green is in the bottom. There is a Ashoka wheel at the centre of the white band.

The saffron stands for courage and sacrifice, White stands for truth and peace and greens stand for greenary. In the centre of the flag is Ashoka chakra. It stands for the nation of love and peace.

Our national flag stand for national unity, glory and greatness. It is a symbol of our hopes and aspiration. No sacrifice is too great to keep ut its glory.

Nevil (boy)

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Dear Friend,

Every country has its National Flag. India has also National Flag, which contists of three colours. The top colour is safron, then comes white colour,last and bottom colour is green.In the middle there is Ashoka Chakra.

The red colour stands for who laid their lives for the freedom of our country. The white colour stand for peace, green stand for agriculture and for greenery and Ashoka Chakra stand for Unity and for diffrent Religions. Our country is agriculture country.

We must honour and respect our National flag. National Flag is always hoisted on government buildings. When any national leader dies, National Flag is hoisted half mast.

Pratik (boy)

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Dear Friends,

India became Republic on 26th January 1950. On Republic day, Indian constitution came in force.

It is our national holiday. In a Republic country, people elect thier own leader to rule them.

On Republic day Prime Minister hoist our national flag in New Delhi (the capital of India) at Red Fort and people sing our national Athem. There was big parade there. In the parade, there were aeroplanes, elephants, camels, etc. There are big meetings and processions at Delhi and many other places.

There are flag hoisting in schools, collages and Goverment offices. We took pledge to protect the freedom of our country.

All Indians celebrate it with great joy and pride.

Jinesh Doshi (boy)

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Dear friends,

We had a holiday on the 26th of January, Monday, for Republic Day.

On that day all the children in school had prayers for republic day. We also had competition on republic day. Some might be President, Prime Minister. Some might be Chandrashekar Azad, Bhagatsingh or Sukhdev.

A committee drafted the constitution of free India and the chairman of this drafting committee was Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. The constitution was ready by 26th November 1949, but came into force on 26th January 1950.

This day was selected because on 26th of January 1930, while still under the British, Jawaharlal Nehru and the Indian National Congress had publicly announced the decision to attain complete Independence for India, to all the Indian people, and people everywhere took a vow to fight for freedom.

Rahul (boy)

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My dear friends,

I am going to tell you about our Republic day.

There is a flag hoisting ceremony in the morning. People gather in large numbers around the flag-post. They salute the flag. There is a short speech by the chief guest. He reminds us of the sacrifices and sufferings of those who brought freedom to us. He asks us to follow their footsteps. In the end ,the national anthem is sung. We see our national flag flying atop all government offices and public buildings.

Please reply.

Your friend,
Avani (girl)

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Dear keypal,

The Indian constitution came into effect from 26 Janurary 1950, it is a public holiday. The republic day is celebrated all over the country with great pomp and show. In Delhi it is celebrated amidst great enthusiasm and joy. Many foreign dignitaries are invited to witness the celebration.

Early in the morning people begin to assemble at rajpath and other places from Rajpath to Red Fort to watch the parade. The ceremony begins with the flag hoisting by the President, followed by releasing the pigeons depending on the number of years of freedom, short speeches by the Prime Minister, highlighting the sacrifices and sufferings of those who brought freedom to us, and the present conditions and the situation prevailing in India and the progress made in various fields.

The President of India takes ther salute. A procession starts from Vijay chowk , all the three wings of armed forces take part in the parade. There is a display of tanks, big guns and other latest developed weapons of war. Military band play different tunes. NCC cadets and the police also participate in the parade.

Then they are followed by tableaux from the different states. They depict a true picture of the life and customs of the people of the respective states and the progress they have made after independence.

Folk dances are held. The dancers sing and play on various instruments, boys and girls of local colleges and schools march in procession and sing national songs.

There is a colourful fly-past by different types of aeroplanes. Rose petals are showered from the air and a trail of saffron, white and green, the colours of the national flag is left behind. Balloons of these colours float in the air.

At night all the government buildings are illuminated and the people go out to watch the beautiful sight.

Kinjal, (with a lot of help from her Tuition teacher!)

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from Microsoft Encarta :

The Indian Constituent Assembly approved a republican constitution for the Union on November 26, 1949.

Comprising a preamble, 395 articles, and 8 schedules, the document proved to be more voluminous than any body of organic law in existence.

One of the constitution's features is a clause outlawing untouchability, the ancient practice of caste that condemned about 40 million Hindus to social and economic degradation.

The Gandhi disciple and All-India Congress leader Dr Rajendra Prasad was elected first president of the Indian Republic in January 1950.

As provided by the constitution, the republic was formally proclaimed on January 26.

The Constituent Assembly then reconstituted itself as a provisional parliament.

Jawaharlal Nehru was already prime minister of free India.

The colours of the Indian flag were taken from the flag of the Indian National Congress. Dark orange represents courage and sacrifice. Green represents faith, fertility and chivalry. White represents truth and peace. The emblem in the centre was added upon independence in 1947. It is a Buddhist Dharma Chakra, or wheel of life, used in India thousands of years ago.

National Anthem : Jana Gana Mana - "Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people" was written by Gurudev Tagore.

- copied from Microsoft Encarta

Mrs Bharti Shah is Co-ordinator of the Computer Centre.
Copyright � 1998 [Knowledge Ware Interactive]. All rights reserved.
Revised: February 02, 1999.