Writing the Constitution

Even while fighting for freedom, Indians had to plan how they'd govern themselves. Big questions: What type of government? What principles? Who gets to vote? How do we settle disputes?

So a Constituent Assembly was formed in 1946. It started with 389 members; after Partition it had 299, including 15 women. They came from India's many regions, professions and social groups.

It first met on 9 December 1946. Its members were elected by the provincial legislative assemblies, whose members had been elected by the people. So its authority came from the people, in two steps.

At the start, Dr Sachidananda Sinha, presiding, wished the members good sense, patriotism, wisdom, tolerance, justice and fairness to all, and a vision to give India a place of honour and equality among the world's nations.

Dr Rajendra Prasad was the Assembly's chairman. The first draft was prepared by a Drafting Committee chaired by Dr B.R. Ambedkar, a great social reformer and independent India's first Law and Justice minister.

The timeline, almost three years of work:

Why wait two months? Because on 26 January 1930, the Congress had celebrated Pūrṇa Swarāj (complete independence) Day. Starting the Constitution on 26 January kept that memory alive.

The Constitution is also a work of art! Calligrapher Prem Behari Narain Raizada wrote the whole text by hand, and Nandalal Bose and his team painted its pages with scenes from Indian history, from Mohenjo-daro to the freedom movement: a gurukula, Rāma's victory at Lanka, Kṛiṣhṇa teaching Arjuna, Naṭarāja, Bhagīratha's penance at Mahabalipuram, Akbar, Nālandā and more.