WEAVERS OF PATRIOTISM

The flag that gets unfurled at Red Fort on August 15 traces its origin to a factory in Mumbai

WHEN the tricolour unfurls into a burst of colour at Red Fort, Abdul Gaffar Shaik will allow himself a smile, just as his father had in 1947. Shaik has been at it for several month now — the 12 ft x 8 ft flag cascading from his sewing machine and floodinghis room at the Kora Gramudyog Kendra.
This is India’s official flag factory — the tricolour that flutters atop the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament House, and all other government buildings, from the desks of government officials, on their cars…they are all sewn at the Kendra.
The Kendra was set up in 1946 by Gandhian Balasaheb Kher and other social workers on Dockyard Road. But it was later relocated to the distant suburb of Borivali. The cottages at the Kendra, with their red, baked tiles, was built by architect Chotubhai Kora, after whom the establishment got its name.
“We are the sole manufacturers of the national flag and that gives us a distinct identity and importance,” Shashikant Shah of the Kendra says.
“We have been certified by the Khadi Village Industries Commission to manufacture and sell national flags according to norms set by them,” says Mahendra Vyas, who heads the sales and production department at the Kendra. “We use cotton khadi which is approved by the Khadi Commission. The colours must be the exact shade. Everything must be perfect, right down to the number of stitches on the flag,” says Vyas.
The biggest flag made at the Kendra measured 14 by 21 ft and now flutters atop the State Secretariat and also at Chattrapati Shivaji’s fort at Sindhudurg, 510 km from Mumbai. “Three bales of khadi went into the making of each colour. That was a huge flag,” says Shah. That flag was sold for Rs 7,000. The smaller flags — the ones on cars and desks of officials — cost Rs 60.

SYRIA,1946
Declared itself independent from France on April 17. Has been ruled by the Assad regime since 1970. Critics of President Bashar Al-Assad say he has failed to deliver on his promises to reform Syria’s socialist economy. Foreign investment has been dampened by US economic sanctions and Syria’s growing isolation as a result of its alleged involvement in the February 2005 assassination of former Lebanese PM Rafiq Hariri. The GDP stands at $77.66 billion. Tensions between Syria and the US intensified from late 2004 to 2007, primarily over Iraq.
*Rank: 74

JORDAN,1946
GAINED independence from Britain on May 25 and is a constitutional monarchy with relatively few natural resources and an economy supported by foreign loans, aid, and remittances from expatriate workers, many of whom work in the Persian Gulf oil kingdoms. King Abdullah II has undertaken political, economic, and regulatory reforms since coming to power in 1999. Its GDP stands at $30 billion. Jordan joined the WTO and signed a free trade agreement with the US in 2000. Suffers from high unemployment, debt, and high cost of oil imports.
Rank*: 97

Story continues below this ad

PAKISTAN, 1947
WAS born on August 14, 1947 as a result of the partition of India. President Pervez Musharraf plans to seek another term in office in September or October while remaining in army uniform — a move fiercely opposed by his rivals. Wide-ranging macroeconomic reforms have spurred economic growth. At $437.5 billion, its GDP has grown steadily over the last five years.
Rank: 45

INDIA, 1947
CELEBRATES its Independence a day after Pakistan’s. India’s population of 1.1 billion people offers a potential human capital advantage. The recent years have seen strong economic growth. Historically, services and manufacturing have driven economic gains but agriculture remains the mainstay. With a GDP of $4.156 trillion, it is one of the fastest growing economies.
Rank: 13

MYANMAR,1948
HAS a military dictatorship. The country gained its independence from Britain on January 4 and has been ruled by a military junta since 1962. Though Burma has significant national resources, restrictive economic policies have impeded economic development. In addition, foreign aid plummeted during the 1990s in response to the government’s harsh anti-democratic repression.
Rank: Not ranked

SRI LANKA, 1948
GOT its independence from Britain on February 4. As a developing Asian nation with widespread civil unrest, Sri Lanka faces serious challenges. Despite significant economic impact, the recent escalation in violence in Sri Lanka has failed to derail the economy, with the country expected to record its fastest growth in nearly three decades, according to the Central Bank. However, it is estimated that the conflict has reduced the overall GDP growth by 2-3 percentage points for the country. Services contribute a fair amount to GDP.
Rank: 78

Story continues below this ad

ISRAEL, 1948
GAINED independence from Britain on May 14 and fought a series of wars against its Arab neighbours that imposed a high defence burden on the state-dominated economy. Despite few natural resources, Israel has developed a modern market economy with a thriving technology sector. The collapse of the 1993 Oslo peace agreement with the Palestinians and the onset of the Intifada in September 2000 depressed tourism, discouraged foreign investment, and contributed to economic recession. But the economy recovered in 2003–2004
Rank: 42

Though the EC’s media invitation did not specify the subject, officials said the briefing would pertain to the SIR schedule. (File)

EC to announce dates for nationwide Special Intensive Revision tomorrow

India2 hr ago

The EC will announce the schedule for the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in multiple states, including Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, on Monday. The exercise, which hasn't been conducted in two decades, aims to update the rolls and eliminate duplicate entries and foreign nationals.

View all shorts

Live Blog

PHOTOS