India’s tryst with Google Doodles

Over the years, Google doodles have become a symbol of celebration and relevance, with the Google logo getting fun changes on important dates and holidays. India’s Independence Day also has a history with Google Doodles.

For more than a decade, Google Doodles has celebrated this important date in Indian history with the help of colours and characters, depicting moments of historic significance.

The design of a doodle is a combination of art and culture. The art comes from doodlers based in the San Francisco Bay area and London. The cultural expertise is provided by “Googlers" in Google offices all over the world who serve as cultural consultants or local doodle managers. These doodle managers not only propose doodles for their respective markets, but play a vital role in ensuring that the designs resonate with the local audience.

While the initial doodles (the first Independence Day doodle in the Google archive is from 2003) had just the tricolour as the key element, they have become more innovative since 2010. From the national bird to a depiction of one of the defining moments in the independence movement, we look at the Google doodles in the last six years.

2011

The Red Fort is etched in our history as a defining location during India’s struggle for independence. Here, the 17th century monument serves as the foundation for this doodle, with the Google logo in all-white.

The peacock’s long, slender neck serves as the “G” in Google here.

2012

The saffron, white and green from India’s tricolour are joined by another important part of the country’s culture—the peacock, our national bird. The peacock’s long, slender neck serves as the “G" in Google here.

The intricate design patterns on the ribbon make this the perfect Google logo with a touch of India.

2013

The tricolour is depicted here in subtle style, in the form of a unified ribbon. One colour starts where the other ends. The intricate design patterns on the ribbon make this the perfect Google logo with a touch of India.

Stamps and seals are the main elements in this doodle.

2014

Stamps and seals are the main elements in this doodle. The seal mentions the date when the doodle was published, while the stamp has the tricolour and the words Jai Hind printed in Hindi.

One of the most distinct doodles depicts the Dandi March led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930.

2015

One of the most distinct doodles depicts the Dandi March led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930. The doodle’s descriptor explains how the (around) 380km march served as the impetus for the Civil Disobedience Movement, “changing the way the world perceived the movement for Indian independence".

This doodle depicts Jawaharlal Nehru’s historic “Tryst with destiny” speech in the constituent assembly.

2016

This doodle depicts Jawaharlal Nehru’s historic “Tryst with destiny" speech in the constituent assembly. Nehru delivered this iconic speech on the eve of India’s independence.