State Emblem of India

Encyclopedia

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History

Following the end of British rule on 15 August 1947, the newly independent Dominion of India adopted an official state emblem on 30 December 1947. The emblem consisted of a representation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath enclosed within a rectangular frame.

The task of beautifying the original copy of the Constitution of India was given to Nandalal Bose (then the Principal of Kala Bhavan Shanti Niketan in Shanti Niketan) by the Indian National Congress. Bose set out to complete this task with the help of his students, one of whom was Dinanath Bhargava, then 21 years old. Bose was keen to include the Lion Capital of Ashoka into the opening pages of the constitution. Wanting the lions to be depicted realistically, he chose Bhargava who studied the behaviour of the lions at the Kolkata Zoo.

On 26 January 1950, a representation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka placed above the motto Satyameva Jayate was adopted as the State Emblem of India.

Usage and description

The emblem forms a part of the official letterhead of the Government of India and appears on all Indian currency as well. It also functions as the national emblem of India in many places and appears prominently on Indian passports. The Ashoka Chakra (wheel) on its base features in the centre of the national flag of India.

The usage of the emblem is regulated and restricted under State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005 under which, no individual or private organisation is permitted to use the emblem for official correspondence.

The actual Sarnath capital features four Asiatic lions standing back to back, symbolising power, courage, confidence, and pride, mounted on a circular base. At the bottom is a horse and a bull, and at its centre is a wheel (Dharma chakra). The abacus is girded with a frieze of sculptures in high relief of The Lion of the North, The Horse of the West, The Bull of the South and The Elephant of the East, separated by intervening wheels, over a lotus in full bloom, exemplifying the fountainhead of life and creative inspiration. Carved from a single block of sandstone, the polished capital is crowned by the Wheel of the Law (Dharma Chakra).

In the emblem finally adopted, only three lions are visible, the fourth being hidden from view. The wheel appears in relief in the centre of the abacus, with a bull on the right and a galloping horse on the left, and outlines of Dharma Chakras on the extreme right and left. A horse and a bull are represented right below the abacus. The bull represents hard work and steadfastness, while the horse represents loyalty, speed, and energy. The bell-shaped lotus beneath the abacus has been omitted.

Forming an integral part of the emblem is the motto inscribed below the abacus in Devanagari script: Satyameva Jayate (Sanskrit: सत्यमेव जयते; lit. “Truth alone triumphs”). This is a quote from Mundaka Upanishad, the concluding part of the sacred Hindu Vedas.

  • Ashoka Stambha at Indian Museum, Calcutta

  • An early photograph of the Sarnath capital

  • A smaller copy of the Sarnath capital at the National Museum, Delhi

Emblems of national bodies

  • Emblem of the Supreme Court of India

  • Emblem of the Central Bureau of Investigation

Emblems of states and union territories

Main article: List of Indian state emblems

Most of the states and union territories of India have their own state emblem, seal or coat of arms which are used as an official governmental symbol, while six states and five union territories use the National Emblem of India with a text legend as their official governmental seal.

Some of the autonomous district councils established by the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India have also adopted an official emblem.

Historic seals and emblems

Pre-colonial India

Emblem of the Mughal Empire in historical progression

Main article: Emblem of the Mughal Empire

  • Emblem of the Mughal Empire

  • Emblem of the Mughal Empire during the reign of Aurangzeb.

  • Last known emblem of the Mughal emperor during the reign of Bahadur Shah Zafar.

British rule in India

  • Coat of arms of the East India Company, used during the Company Raj (1757–1858)

  • Coat of arms of the United Kingdom, used for official documents, publications and correspondence from the Parliament of the United Kingdom during the British Raj (1858–1947)

  • Star of India, an emblem used within India during the British Raj.

Portuguese rule in India

  • Coat of arms of Portuguese India (1600–1935)

  • Lesser coat of arms of Portuguese India (1935–1961)

  • Greater coat of arms of Portuguese India (1935–1951)

  • Greater coat of arms of Portuguese India (1951–1961)

French Rule in India

  • Emblem of French India (1912–1954)

Azad Hind

  • Seal of Azad Hind (1943–1945)

Dominion of India

  • Coat of arms of the United Kingdom used by the Dominion of India (15 August – 29 December 1947)

  • Emblem used by the Dominion of India (30 December 1947 – 25 January 1950)

  • Emblem of the Constituent Assembly of India