The Indian flag is a symbol of the country’s sovereign state, its history and culture. The Tiranga is something we salute every Republic Day and Independence Day. Yet how many of us know about the man who actually designed it?

Pingali Venkayya, hailing from Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, a freedom fighter, was the man who designed it. Not so well known is the fact that he was an equally good geologist and agriculturist too.

Pingali Venkayya was born on August 2, 1876 in small village near Machilipatnam. His father Hanumantha Rayudu was the village Karanam of Yarlaggada, while his grandfather Adivi Venkatachalam was the Tahsildar of Challapalli Samsthanam. He studied at Hindu High school, in, Machilipatnam, and later in Colombo. At the age of just 19, he joined the Army and took part in the Boer War. On his return, he worked as a plague inspector for some time in Madras and later Bellary.

He did his degree in Political Economics from Colombo, and later joined DAV Lahore, where he learned Sanskrit, Urdu, and Japanese. In fact, so fluent was he in Japanese, that people called him “Japan Venkayya”. He had a long association with Gandhi, having met him in South Africa earlier. He used to regularly attend all Congress sessions from 1913, and discuss with the leaders about the possible design of the National flag.

He also wrote a book “National flag for India”. And in 1916, the flag he designed was flown at the Lucknow session of Congress. The original flag had only 2 colors, Saffron and Green, it was Lala Hansraj who suggested a wheel in the centre. During the 1921 Vijayawada session, Gandhiji suggested adding white in between Saffron and Green, along with the wheel. And the tricolor as we know it today was flown for the first time there, designed by Pingali Venkayya.

During the Constituent Assembly held on July 22, 1947, the suggestion was made to replace the wheel with the Ashoka Chakra, to represent our ancient culture. Apart, from the National flag, Pingali Venkayya, also played a role in many of the movements during the freedom struggle, the Vandemataram movement and the Home Rule movement. He had an undying passion for knowledge and was always restless in his quest for learning.

A polyglot who was fluent in Telugu, English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu and Japanese, Pingali Venkayya, also did a lot of extensive research on Japanese history, culture and language. He was an authority in that subject during his tenure at DAV. He was equally passionate about science, he did a lot of research on different varieties of cotton at Nadiguda (near Suryapet), at the request of the local Zamindar there. He came up with a special kind of cotton called Cambodia cotton. He got the nickname “Patti Venkayya” (Patti is Telugu for cotton). Matter of fact it was at Nadigudi that he designed the National flag, offered prayers at the Ramayalam there, before introducing it at the 1921 Congress session in Bezawada.

He also wrote the biography of Chinese leader Sun Yat Sen. And did his diploma in Geology from Madras Presidency College, and did extensive research on Mica deposits in Nellore district. In fact, he also did extensive research on precious stones in Hampi. book “Vajrapu Tallirayi” (Motherlode), was extensively about the minerals and precious stones found near Hampi, that in a way explains the city’s prosperity too.

After independence, Pingali Venkayya was appointed as a consultant to the Minerals Research Department, a post in which he worked till 1960, before retiring. Sadly, such a brilliant scholar and genius, had a rather sad ending in his life. His later years were miserable, he lived alone in a small hut, in utter poverty. The brilliant man, who selflessly contributed to the nation, got no support from the government. Like many others, he never got due recognition.

Forget about financial support, Pingali Venkayya was not even given due credit, for designing the national flag. The man who dedicated his life to the nation had to live like a destitute in his last years, not even having proper food to eat. Finally, it was left for people like Dr K.L.Rao and Katraggada Srinivasa Rao, to help out Pingali Venkayya financially and also felicitate him in January 1963. On July 4th, 1963 Pingali Venkayya, breathed his last, another great son of Bharat, passed away unmourned.

Before dying, this was Pingali Venkayya’s last wish

“My time is nearing close. When I pass away, cover my body with the tricolor, after the cremation, tie the flag to a Raavi tree there”.

Pingali Venkayya was a true son of Bharat, of whom we should all be proud. Not just as the designer of the national flag, but also for his research on cotton and minerals. A polyglot and a scholar, who selflessly served the country without expecting anything. A truly great soul. It is sad, that a true patriot, a scholar like Pingali Venkayya, who selflessly served the nation, had to live the last days of his life in such a miserable state.