Indian Independence Day 2021: Will this year mark the 74th or 75th Independence Day of India? Check what official sources quote

On 12 March 2021, Prime Minister Modi launched 'Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav' (India@75) in Gujarat to commemorate 75 years of Indian Independence. The Mahotsav is a series of events organized by the Government of India that began on 12 March 2021, starting a 75-week countdown to the nation's 75th anniversary of Independence and will conclude post a year on 15 August 2023. 

12th March is a special day in India’s glorious history. On that day in 1930, the iconic Dandi March led by Mahatma Gandhi began. Tomorrow, from Sabarmati Ashram we will commence Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav, to mark 75 years since Independence. https://t.co/8E4TUHaxlo

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 11, 2021

While the Government of India is celebrating the 75th Independence Day of India on August 15, 2022, some of its official websites have quoted the year 2021 as the 75th year of Indian Independence, thereby creating confusion. The article sheds light on what the official sources quote and the simple mathematical calculation to count the years.  

Will this year be the 74th or 75th Independence Day of India?

The Ministry of Culture in a video quoted that India will celebrate its 75th year of Independence on 15 August 2022, however, the official website of Independence Day quoted 15th August 2020 as the 74th Independence Day of India, leaving people puzzled. 

If we tune in to the below-mentioned video posted by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India at 3:28 minutes, it can be clearly heard that India will complete 75 years of its Independence in 2022.

The official website of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, quoted that the celebrations for the D-day began on 12 March 2021 with a 75-week countdown to our 75th anniversary of Independence and will end post a year on 15th August 2023. This statement clearly indicates that the 75th year falls in 2022. 

Furthermore, India gained independence from British colonialism on 15 August 1947. If we do a simple mathematical calculation taking 1947 as the base year, this year will mark the 74th year of Indian Independence. 

2021-1947= 74

However, if we consider 15 August 1947 as the first Independence day, then this year marks the 75th year of Indian Independence. On this day, the first Prime Minister of independent India Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru hoisted the national flag at the Lahori Gate of Red Fort in New Delhi. Additionally, according to Know India: National Portal of India, the Independence Day of India 2021 will be the 75th year.

As of now, it is at the discretion of the Government of India whether it will celebrate the 75 years of Indian Independence this year or on 15 August 2022. The confusion will cease when India will celebrate its Independence Day 2021, falling on August 15. 

Why was 15th August chosen as the Independence Day for India?

Disclaimer: We, at Jagran Josh, do not advocate whether this year marks the 74th or 75th year of Indian Independence as the article is purely based on the information available in the public domain.