Sarojini Naidu, alongside other women members, ensured that all adult Indian women got the right to vote. This was achieved ahead of some Western nations, such as Greece and Switzerland, and only six years after France. During her political life, she fought vigorously for women’s voting rights. Despite repeated British delegations ignoring this demand, Naidu persevered.

Born in a Bengali family in Hyderabad, she studied in England and married a Telugu. After independence, she was appointed Governor of the United Provinces and passed away in 1949 in Lucknow.

There were 15 women in the Constituent Assembly: Ammu Swaminathan, Annie Maccarene, Begum Aizaz Rasul, Dakshayani Velayudhan, Durgabai Deshmukh, Hansa Jivraj Mehta, Kamala Chaudhary, Leela Roy, Malti Chaudhary, Poornima Banerji, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Renuka Ray, Sarojini Naidu, Sucheta Kriplani, and Vijaylaxmi Pandit.

Source: “Indian Constitution”, PIB Research Unit

The Constitution of India was adopted on January 24, 1950, during the final meeting of the Constituent Assembly, and came into force two days later. Following its adoption, the Assembly transitioned into the provisional Parliament until the first general elections were held in 1952. In this historic meeting, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as the first President of the Republic of India and signed the Constitution in this capacity. Feroze Gandhi was appointed as the Acting President of the Assembly after Dr. Prasad’s elevation, making him the last to sign the Constitution in this role.

Feroze Gandhi, husband of Indira Gandhi, had a distinguished parliamentary career. He represented Rae Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh until his death in 1960. A staunch advocate for press freedom, he clashed with Pandit Nehru’s government in the Lok Sabha and played a key role in passing legislation that allowed the media to report on parliamentary proceedings on a daily basis. Feroze Gandhi was also instrumental in exposing independent India’s first major financial scandal, which led to the resignation of the then Finance Minister in 1957. His contributions to India’s parliamentary democracy and transparency remain significant in the nation’s history.

Source: https://www.constitutionofindia.net/members/feroze-ghandi/

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, in his final speech to the Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949, remarked, “The credit that is given to me does not really belong to me. It belongs partly to Sir B.N. Rau, the Constitutional Advisor to the Constituent Assembly, who prepared a rough draft of the Constitution for the consideration of the Drafting Committee.”

Dr. Rajendra Prasad also highlighted B.N. Rau’s pivotal role, stating, “If Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the skillful pilot of the Constitution, Sri B.N. Rau was the person who visualized the plan and laid its foundation.” He further emphasized that “when the history of the Indian Constitution comes to be written, Sri B.N. Rau will occupy in it a significant place.”

Benegal Narsinga Rau, a member of the Indian Civil Service, was appointed as the Constitutional Advisor to the Constituent Assembly in July 1946. His primary responsibility was to collect and prepare background material to guide the Assembly members. He prepared a fairly complete draft of the Indian Constitution which was submitted to the Drafting Committee. He was instrumental in addressing challenges such as the Muslim League’s refusal to participate, issues related to partition, and relations with Britain. Rau had even conceptualized an outline for an independent India that preserved the essence of an autonomous Pakistan without partitioning the country.

Between 1944 and 1945, Rau served as the Prime Minister for the Maharajah of Kashmir but resigned due to differences with the ruler. He later represented India at the United Nations on issues related to Kashmir and Hyderabad and assisted Burma in its constitution-making process. His contributions extended to the global stage, where he served as a judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Source: B.R Ambedkar, Selected Speeches. Prasar Bharati. India’s Constitution in the Making, B. N Rau.

Jawaharlal Nehru introduced the Objectives Resolution immediately after the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly in December 1946. This resolution became the foundation for the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.

At the time, the Resolution was made amidst significant challenges: the Muslim League was demanding partition, India’s full independent status was not yet guaranteed, and princely states were reluctant to relinquish their autonomy. The Objectives Resolution sought to address these conflicts by emphasizing unity, sovereignty, and inclusivity. It aimed to reassure that the power and authority of the future sovereign nation would derive from its people, not from external authorities like the British Crown or the princely rulers.

The resolution concluded with the visionary line: “This ancient land attains its rightful and honoured place in the world and makes its full and willing contribution to the promotion of world peace and the welfare of mankind.” The Constituent Assembly adopted the Objectives Resolution in January 1947, providing a clear direction and framework for the drafting of the Indian Constitution.

Source: The Framing of India’s Constitution, B. Shiva Rao et al.

The Dehradun-based Survey of India produced 1,000 initial photolithographic reproductions of the handcrafted Constitution in 1955. These reproductions were created using two printing machines—the Sovereign and Monarch models, manufactured by the UK’s RW Crabtree & Sons. Unfortunately, these iconic machines were later dismantled and sold as scrap. However, the Survey of India still retains the first of the original 1,000 printed copies, preserving a piece of history tied to the production of this monumental document.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/dehradun/machines-that-printed-constitution-sold-as-scrap/story-XFWof7YUyoDfeohDnLiaQI.html

Ganesh Vasudev Mavalankar, the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha, represented Ahmedabad, though he was of Marathi origin. He was a close associate of Sardar Patel and was a long-standing member of the Ahmedabad municipality in the 1920s and 30s.

Seventeen committees were set up by the Constituent Assembly. Ambedkar was in charge of the drafting committee. Rajendra Prasad headed the maximum of four committees. Nehru chaired three, including those deciding the power of the union and state. Patel headed the advisory committee with four subcommittees on fundamental rights, minorities, and special areas. Others heading one committee each included Mavalankar, Alladi Krishnaswamy Aiyar, Pattabhi Sitaramayya, and K.M. Munshi.

Source: https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/ebooklat/Flip-Book/constfiles/files/basic-html/page2.html

Nandalal Bose (December 3, 1882 – April 16, 1966) was a pioneer of modern Indian art and a prominent advocate of the “Indian style” of painting. A disciple of Abanindranath Tagore, Bose became the principal of Kala Bhavan at Santiniketan in 1922 and left an indelible mark on Indian art. His paintings are considered among the most significant works of modern Indian art by many critics.

Bose and his associates were entrusted with the monumental task of decorating the manuscript of the Indian Constitution. His contribution included 22 exquisite illustrations in the miniature style, depicting various epochs and themes from Indian history and culture. These illustrations ranged from the Harappan civilization, epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana, the teachings of Buddha and Mahavira, the Chola dynasty, Akbar, Shivaji, Guru Gobind Singh, Rani Lakshmi Bai, and even the Indian freedom movement.

One notable illustration featured a Chola bronze sculpture, a testament to India’s rich artistic heritage. In addition to his work on the Constitution, Nandalal Bose designed the emblems of prestigious Indian government awards, including the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Shri, further cementing his legacy as a cultural icon of India.

Source: https://www.theheritagelab.in/constitution-india-art/

The Preamble of the Indian Constitution was based on the Objectives Resolution introduced by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. It was later amended during the Emergency in 1976 by the Indira Gandhi government to include the words “socialist” and “secular.”

Beohar Rammanohar Sinha, a graduate of Santiniketan from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, played a key role in illustrating the original handwritten Constitution. Under the guidance of Acharya Nandalal Bose, Sinha was tasked with traveling across the country to gather inspiration for illustrations that reflected India’s rich cultural heritage. He contributed significantly to many of the Constitution’s artistic elements. His crowning achievement was designing the distinctive Preamble page. This iconic page bears his short signature, “Ram” written in Devanagari script, discreetly placed in the lower-right corner in a very small font—so subtle that it is easy to miss without zooming in on the original page. This signature serves as a lasting mark of his contribution to one of India’s most celebrated documents.

The original Preamble page remains accessible online, showcasing Sinha’s exceptional artistry and the enduring legacy of his work.

Source:

In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted President Barack Obama a copy of the telegram sent by the U.S. administration to India’s Constituent Assembly. The telegram, addressed to Sachchidananda Sinha, marked a significant moment in history.

On December 9, 1946, the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly was held, where Sinha was appointed Interim President as the eldest member, following the French practice. Later, the Assembly elected Rajendra Prasad as its permanent President. On the same day, Acting U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson sent a telegram to the Interim President, extending best wishes to the Assembly. The message expressed hope that the Assembly’s deliberations would be closely followed by peace-loving people worldwide.

Sinha, a barrister and journalist, was a member of the Imperial Legislative Council from 1910 to 1920. He emerged as a prominent leader in Bihar after the province was separated from Bengal in 1912 and later when Bihar and Orissa became independent provinces in 1936. Sinha made significant contributions to the renowned Khuda Baksh Library in Patna and served as Vice-Chancellor of Patna University.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/barack-obama-given-copy-of-us-telegram-to-indias-constituent-assembly/article6821102.ece

The original copies of the Indian Constitution were meticulously handwritten in both English and Hindi. For legal purposes, the English version is considered the authoritative text. Calligrapher Prem Bihari Narain Raizada (Saxena) single-handedly wrote the entire Constitution in a flowing italic style, completing the monumental task over six months.

He worked in a dedicated room within the Constitution Hall (now the Constitution Club), using parchment sheets measuring 16 x 22 inches, designed to last a thousand years. The final manuscript comprised 251 pages, weighed 3.75 kilograms, and stands as a masterpiece of artistic craftsmanship.

Raizada declined any monetary compensation for his work but requested that his name, along with his grandfather’s (who was also his teacher), be inscribed in the document. This request was honored, and their names appear at the end of the original Constitution, forever linking his legacy to India’s founding document. The Hindi version of the Constitution was calligraphed by Vasant Krishan Vaidya. Both original copies are preserved in helium-filled cases in the Parliament Library, ensuring their protection and longevity.

Source: https://magazines.odisha.gov.in/Orissareview/2021/Jan/engpdf/26-28.pdf

On December 9, 1946, Acharya Kriplani delivered the first speech in the Constituent Assembly, welcoming members and emphasizing India’s unity in diversity. During his speech, he proposed Sachchidananda Sinha as the Interim President of the Assembly. Kriplani also chaired the subcommittee on Fundamental Rights, reporting to Sardar Patel, and played a key role in shaping the most celebrated part of the Indian Constitution.

Jiwatram Bhagwandas Kripalani, popularly known as Acharya Kriplani, was born in Hyderabad, Sindh, in 1888. He studied at a college in Karachi, Wilson College in Bombay, and Ferguson College in Pune. In 1912, he began his career teaching English and History at Muzaffarpur College, Bihar. He later taught briefly at Banaras University and became the Principal of Gujarat Vidyapeeth. A devoted admirer of Mahatma Gandhi, Kriplani participated in the first Satyagraha at Champaran, Bihar, in 1917. He actively participated in all major Congress programs, eventually serving as Congress President in 1946.

Later, he leaned toward socialism and formed his own party in 1951, which eventually merged with the Praja Socialist Party, a key opposition group to Pandit Nehru in the Lok Sabha. Kriplani was elected to the Lok Sabha from the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh) and maintained a national stature throughout his political career. His support for Jai Prakash Narayan in 1975 helped galvanize opposition against Indira Gandhi’s Emergency, making him a pivotal figure in India’s democratic history.

Source: https://www.constitutionofindia.net/members/j-b-kripalani-2/

The Constituent Assembly extensively debated how to describe India—whether as a Federation or a Union, and what name should be used for the country.

The Union Constitution Committee had initially proposed the term “Federation,” with a draft that began, “The Federation hereby established shall be a ….” Various names were suggested, including Union of India, Bharatvarsha, and Hindustan. There was even a proposal to describe India as a Secular, Federal Socialist Union of States.

Amidst these discussions, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar proposed a draft of the first clause: “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.” He did not offer any explanation for this wording. The proposal sparked debate, with no unanimity on the phrasing. H.V. Kamath suggested an amendment to rephrase it as, “Bharat, or in the English language, India.” However, Ambedkar’s wording was ultimately approved by a majority vote of 51-38.

The phrase “India, that is Bharat” reflects the civilizational continuity of India, linking its ancient heritage as Bharat to its modern identity as a unified nation.

Source: The Framing of India’s Constitution, B. Shiva Rao et al.