Skip to main content
The Keyword

Celebrating India’s Independence on Google Arts & Culture

The photo shows Jawaharlal Nehru being sworn in as First Prime Minister of Independent India on August 15, 1947.

Mahatma Gandhi is perhaps the most celebrated Indian public figure in the world. His ideas and words have influenced many of the world's most powerful political leaders, freedom fighters, social activists, thinkers, and artists alike: from Martin Luther King to Nelson Mandela to John Lennon.

The Constitution of India was adopted on January 26, 1950. The 299 member Constituent Assembly drafted the Constitution of India over three years. The first meeting of the Constituent Assembly was attended by 205 members, including 9 women.

On January 4, 2015, Madhu Bai Kinnar made history when she became India’s first transgender Mayor in Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh Municipal Corporation.

On September 6, 2018, the Supreme Court of India decriminalized homosexuality. A five-judge constitutional bench struck down the 1861 colonial-era law, which remained in force for 157 years.

Named after a prominent Indian astronomer and mathematician of the 5th century CE, the Aryabhata was India's first satellite. It carried scientific instruments to explore conditions in Earth’s ionosphere, measure neutrons and gamma rays from the Sun, and perform investigations in X-ray astronomy.

Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, an Indian Air Force pilot, is the first Indian citizen to have traveled to outer space. Sharma spent 7 days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes aboard the Salyut 7 during which his team conducted scientific and technical studies.

Nikhat Zareen won the gold medal at the 2022 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, in Istanbul.

Milkha Singh, known as the Flying Sikh, is the only athlete to win gold at 400 meters at the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games, in 1958.

India’s Olympic gold in field hockey in 1948 was the newly sovereign nation’s first major sporting triumph.

In 1983, the India cricket team defeated the West Indies by 43 runs at the Lord's Cricket Ground in London, winning its first World Cup.

Discover the story behind jutti - a type of leather shoe decorated with extensive embroidery.

In this soft, naturalistic painting of a young woman, the aristocratic Raja Varma introduced a new visual language to Indian art. This sensuous portrait remains one of his most affecting works.

Test your knowledge of India’s art forms with Guess That Craft and see how India's unique craftsmanship helps define this nation.

The Taj Mahal needs no introduction. Built by emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the marble mausoleum is one of the crowning achievements of the Mughal Empire and one of the seven Wonders of the World. Experience this great monument through a virtual tour.

Sanchi Stupa, a Buddhist complex, is one of the oldest stone structures in India and an important monument of Indian Architecture. It’s famous for its Great Stupa – which translates roughly as “heap” from Sanskrit. You can also explore it in 3D.

Though millions use this train station every day, the majesty of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus never goes unnoticed. You can explore it in 360 degrees at Google Arts & Culture.

Āyurveda, the ‘Science of Life’, originated in ancient India and is thought to be one of the earliest medical sciences in the world. Discover the various ingredients used in Āyurveda medicine.

As the Mughal kings traveled around their kingdom, they slept in adorned tents called Kanat. This lavish tent hanging of the early 18th century is befitting of the royal entourage.

Standing Buddha is an aesthetically stunning example of Gupta art. The Buddha’s following grew even further in the years after his passing, and he became a frequent subject of Indian art. Follow the stages of his life depicted through sculpture.

This painting of a divine woman robed in saffron is an early depiction of Bharat Mata, or ‘Mother India’ – a personification of India as a mother goddess. You can study Abanindranath Tagore’s painting also in augmented reality on your smartphone.

Let’s stay in touch. Get the latest news from Google in your inbox.

Subscribe