National Flag of India: 10 fascinating desgins that paved way to Indian tricolour

The Mughals ruled a large part of the Indian subcontinent from the 16th century to the 19th century. Even though they did not have an established flag throughout their rule. But many historical accounts mention a green flag with stars and a crescent moon. The Lion and Sun motif was also occasionally used by later Mughal rulers, inherited from Persian influence.

Used by the British trading company with 13 red and white horizontal stripes. It had a Union Jack (National flag of the United Kingdom) emblem on the top left corner.

The Union Jack served as the national flag of British Rule in India; however, a couple of other versions also existed. The one used to represent India internationally was navy blue with the Union Jack at the canton and the Star of India in the fly.

First unofficial Indian flag, hoisted on August 7, 1906, featuring three horizontal stripes of green, yellow and red colours respectively. With symbols sun, moon and lotus, with Vande Mataram in Devanagri.

It was hoisted by Madam Bhikaji Cama in Stuttgart, Germany, at the International Socialist Congress. She is widely known as the first person to hoist a flag in a foreign land. It was kind of similar to the Calcutta flag and but had fewer symbols on it. It is also known as the Saptarshi flag.

Introduced during Annie Besant and Bal Ganghadhar Tilak's home rule movement. Red and green stripes with the Union Jack in the top-left and a crescent, star, and seven stars representing the Saptarishi.

Designed by Pingali Venkayya and proposed to Mahatma Gandhi, had two major colours, green (Muslims) and red (Hindus), with a spinning wheel at the centre representing self-reliance. Gandhi suggested adding white in the middle

Indian National Congress adopted Gandhi's flag with a little bit of moderation, it has the usual tricolour with saffron, white and green. With a spinning wheel at the centre.

First hoisted in Moirang, Manipur, by the Indian National Army under the leadership of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. It hosts the usual tricolour with a tiger at the centre.

On July 22, 1947, the Constituent Assembly adopted the current national flag. The flag had the usual tri-colours with the addition of 'Ashok Chakra' at the centre, replacing the spinning wheel.