January 26: India's Forgotten Independence Day? A 17-Year Tradition Explained

• January 26th was celebrated as India's Independence Day for 17 years before August 15th became the official date.
• The Indian National Congress, under Jawaharlal Nehru, passed the 'Purna Swaraj' resolution on January 26, 1929, in Lahore, demanding complete independence.
• The first Independence Day was observed on January 26, 1930, with tricolors hoisted nationwide.
• Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, as Mayor of Kolkata, was brutally attacked by British police during a 'Purna Swaraj Day' procession on January 26, 1931.
• Netaji continued to celebrate January 26th as Indian Independence Day even in Germany during World War II, organizing a grand event in Berlin in 1943.

Why It Matters: January 26th was India's original Independence Day, symbolizing the 'Purna Swaraj' resolve for 17 years.