First dawn - India's new hours of independence
Under a monsoon sky on Aug 15, 1947, Indians shared pure joy
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 "Veenu Sandhu")
 "Indians gather near South Block, overlooking Vijay Chowk, in New Delhi, to celebrate the country's independence from British rule, on August 15, 1947")
Indians gather near South Block, overlooking Vijay Chowk, in New Delhi, to celebrate the country’s independence from British rule, on August 15, 1947
When the clock struck midnight on August 15, 1947, India shed nearly two centuries of colonial rule. Inside the Central Hall of Parliament, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s words carried the hush and hope of the moment: “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.” For millions, that was when history turned. As dawn broke, New Delhi’s streets throbbed with celebration. Among the first images of India’s democracy rose from the sandstone blocks of the Central Secretariat — the South Block and the North Block — and the circular Parliament
Written By
Veenu Sandhu
Veenu Sandhu is Senior Associate Editor at Business Standard. Based in New Delhi, she has been a journalist since 1996, and has worked in some of India’s leading newsrooms across print, digital and television media, including NDTV 24x7, Hindustan Times and The Indian Express. At Business Standard, she writes, commissions, edits and gives direction to special, in-depth articles for the newspaper and the digital platform across beats and sectors. She also hosts video shows for Business Standard. Before this, she edited BS Weekend. She is a 2017-18 batch Chevening South Asia Journalism fellow.
 "Veenu Sandhu")
First Published: Sep 03 2025 | 10:00 AM IST
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