Is India celebrating 76th or 77th Independence Day in 2023? Find out

India will celebrate Independence Day 2023 on August 15. However, there has been some confusion about whether this is the 76th year of the nation's freedom or the 77th. This has garnered a fair deal of attention on social media. Let's get to the bottom of his unusual 'mystery'.

3 things you need to know 

• August 15 is celebrated as Independence Day in India. 
• The day marks the end of the freedom struggle against British rule. 
• The day was first commemorated in 1947. 

How did the confusion begin? 

This discrepancy arose as there are two distinct schools of thought when it comes to year counting---inclusive and exclusive. As per the former, August 15, 1947, should be considered the first year of Independence.

(Finally, in 1947, as India achieved independence | Image: Shutterstock)

Going by this logic, 2023 marks the 77th year since the day. However, those in favour of the exclusive school of thought believe that August 15 1948 should be celebrated as the first Independence Day, which means this year India will enter its 76th year of independence.

All about this year's celebrations

This year, India will culminate the “Azadi ka Mahotsav” celebrations which were flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021. As per Press Information Bureau (PIB), which is a government agency, on August 15, 2023, India will celebrate its 77th Independence Day. 

(Hoist the Indian National Flag with respect and care | Image: Shutterstock)

To celebrate the day, more than 1000 people have been invited to the official flag hoisting ceremony at Red Fort. On the day, the resilience and sacrifice of the Indian soldiers is remembered. The day is a national holiday across the nation. The focus point of the celebrations this year will be “Nation First, Always First”.