By Irudhaya Jothi
Bhalukpong, August 9, 2022: Women belonging to self-help groups in the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh have joined a campaign to provide the national flag to every household in the country.
As many as 1,200 Indian flags, or tricolor, were handed over to the extra assistant commissioner of the Bhalukpong sub-division in West Kameng district.
The flags were stitched by the women as part of the “Har Ghar Tiranga” (tricolor in every house) campaign to mark the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence that falls on August 15.
The women are formed and animated by the Jesuit Social Action Wing of Kohima Region.
Jesuit-run Purvanchal Pragati Samaj (Northeastern development society), based in Guwahati, Assam, has been active in East and West Kameng districts of Arunachal Pradesh since 2016.
The NGO is operating in the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya and Nagaland.
The women members of the Jesuit NGO were invited by the sub-divisional officer to join the flag campaign by stitching the national flags.
The campaign encourages people to bring the national flag home and to hoist it to mark the 75th year of India’s independence.
The “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav” (75th Anniversary of Indian Independence) is an Indian government initiative to celebrate and commemorate the Independence and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements. “Amrit Mahotsav” literally means nectar of grand celebration!
The idea behind the initiative is to invoke the feeling of patriotism in the hearts of the people and to promote awareness about the Indian national flag.
The official journey of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav began March 12, 2021, with a 75-week countdown to the 75th anniversary of independence. It ends on August 15.
Under the campaign the government would give every family a national flag. It decided to involve women’s self-help groups in making the flag locally.
“Bhalukpong has 2,000 families and around 60 percent of the household will fly our SHG women stitched Tirnaga on their rooftop is happy news for us,” said Anu Jebisow, an Aka tribal woman. “We are proud about this initiative,” she added.
On August 15 the women will exhibit their handmade productions such as wire bags, candles, surf, phenol, harpic, vegetable and meat pickles at the general ground at Bhalupong Sub-Division where parade takes place every year.
“I am excited and waiting for the Independence Day exhibition cum sale,” said Bichey Nikhangju, a member of the SHG federation, who belongs to Miji tribal group.
The women belong to Hrusso Aka, Koro Aka, Miji, Nyishi, Apatali, Galo, Monpa, Gorkha and Orang tribal groups.
There are twelve tribes groups listed officially, such as Adi (Abor), Aka, Apatani, Nyishi, Tagin, Galo, Khampti, Mishmi, Momba (Monpa), “any Naga tribes,” Sherdukpen, and Singpho.
Arunachal Pradesh has a total population of roughly 1.4 million (as of 2011) on an area of 84,000 sq km amounting to a population density of about 17, far below the Indian average of 370.
Much of Arunachal Pradesh is forested. The “indigenous groups” account for about two-thirds of the population, while immigrants, mostly of Bengali and Hindi belt origin, account for a third.