(This story was first published on 14 August 2016. It has been reposted from The Quint's archives to mark India's 76th Independence Day.)
India’s Independence Day – observed on 15 August every year – has a rich history to its name. When India became a free nation on 15 August 1947, it was a culmination of several events that led up to it. Here’s a list of a few that may surprise you.
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Thanks, Lord Mountbatten, We Really Didn't Need to Commemorate That
![We celebrate it every year with gusto, but here are some little-known facts you might appreciate!](https://images.thequint.com/thequint%2F2016-08%2Fb527bdc0-c310-440a-acad-ef06531d2c10%2F1%20(1).jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&fmt=webp&width=720)
Our Flag Was Born on 22 July
![We celebrate it every year with gusto, but here are some little-known facts you might appreciate!](https://images.thequint.com/thequint%2F2016-08%2Fe4e73501-7cb0-4f08-a9cf-359eba019863%2F3%20(1).jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&fmt=webp&width=720)
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The Mahatma Wanted Congress Disbanded?
![We celebrate it every year with gusto, but here are some little-known facts you might appreciate!](https://images.thequint.com/thequint%2F2016-08%2F7a898323-0312-45f0-87d1-9ed88b2e348a%2F2%20(2).jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&fmt=webp&width=720)
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'Council House' Saw Our First Flag-Raising
![We celebrate it every year with gusto, but here are some little-known facts you might appreciate!](https://images.thequint.com/thequint%2F2016-08%2F47feac44-2857-41b6-82bd-cc7fb2a9a706%2F5.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&fmt=webp&width=720)
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Pride of Place for Women in Free India
![We celebrate it every year with gusto, but here are some little-known facts you might appreciate!](https://images.thequint.com/thequint%2F2016-08%2F545c9678-594c-4fb6-860c-fca5b0ddb4ff%2F6.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&fmt=webp&width=720)
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What Did We Do for 3 Years Without an Official Anthem?
![We celebrate it every year with gusto, but here are some little-known facts you might appreciate!](https://images.thequint.com/thequint%2F2016-08%2F6e7cffe1-27af-48cd-9636-c2eb998c3a05%2F4.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&fmt=webp&width=720)
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Topics: Independence Day Inspirational India@75
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