On the centenary of the first ever draft design of the Indian national flag, TDP president and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has made a fervent appeal to the Centre to confer the Bharat Ratna on Pingali Venkayya for “his services as a freedom fighter and designer of the national Tricolour”. Naidu termed it as a matter of pride for all Telugus that Venkayya gave the design for the national flag which has remained a symbol of the country’s equality, fraternity and unity in diversity. The Tricolour symbolises and reflects the overall Indian culture and tradition. In a statement here, the TDP chief recalled how Pingali Venkayya actively took part in the Vandemataram and Home Rule agitations during the struggle for independence. His services in the freedom movement would be remembered forever, Naidu said. The Tricolour would always stand out for the three basic tenets of sacrifice, peace and progress. The Asoka Chakra in the middle would stand for dharma.
Naidu said that Pingali Venkayya had also rendered his research services in agriculture and geology. He worked as an advisor in the mineral research department after independence. Every citizen should consider it a duty to respect the sovereignty and significance of the national flag. It would be apt to honour Venkayya with the country’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, Naidu said.