Marking 76 years since the Constituent Assembly members formally signed the Constitution of India, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Saturday reflected on this historic moment as a blend of democratic vision and artistic excellence.
In a post on X, Ramesh noted that on this day in 1950, 264 members of the Constituent Assembly signed three copies of the Constitution, adopted earlier on November 26, 1949. Two copies were handwritten in English and Hindi and featured 22 illustrations by artists from Shantiniketan, led by Nandalal Bose.
He highlighted the artistic contributions behind the document: English calligraphy by Prem Behari Narayan Raizada, Hindi handwriting by Vasant K Vaidya, and the national emblem on the first page, designed by Dinanath Bhargava, who studied real lions at the Kolkata Zoo to ensure accuracy.
Beyond its legal significance, the Congress leader emphasized the Constitution’s cultural and artistic value, citing the Lalit Kala Akademi’s description of it as “a seminal art treatise” celebrating India’s diverse history and unity.
Calling the Constitution “a charter for profound socio-economic transformation”, he said it embodied ideals of justice, liberty, and equality while rooting India’s founding document in its civilizational and artistic heritage.
Ramesh also recalled the poignant group photograph of Assembly members after signing, describing it as a timeless symbol of collective resolve and democratic aspiration at the Republic’s birth.