History And Significance Of President's Colours In Indian Army, Airforce And Navy

Colours in the military can be traced to when several Kings ruled smaller Indian states. The prestigious "President's Colours" award has an illustrious history and dates back to ancient Indian traditions. When any ancient militaries marched, they always carried the King's flag, or 'dhwaja', to proclaim the King's sovereignty. Moreover, it was considered a shame if any army lost its dhwaja to the enemy. On the other hand, capturing another army's flag was a matter of pride, honour and an occasion of victory.

Flags During The Colonial Rule

The tradition continued even during colonial rule. When the British Army moved across India, the regiment always carried its version of the King or Queen's flag. All the King's Colours or Flags that had been handed to the Royal Indian Army, the Royal Indian Navy, the Royal Indian Air Force, and their respective commands were "laid up" at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, a day before India became Republic on January 26, 1950. All the versions of the King or Queen's flags were laid to rest in the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun.

Matter Of Utmost Pride And Honour

After independence, the flags were renamed "President of the Republic of India's Colours". The Indian Navy was the first Indian military establishment to receive the President's colours from Dr Rajendra Prasad. Even now, the President's Colours is the highest military honour that could be awarded to any military unit, military training establishment and state or Union Territory's Police Forces of India. It is bestowed upon in recognition of exceptional service of at least 25 years rendered by a military unit to the nation, both during war and peace. It is also known as "Rashtrapati ka Nishaan" in Hindi.

Also Read: India's Promising 'Space Economy' Paving Way To Capture A Global Share