264 Signatories and a Historic Photograph: Jairam Ramesh Shares 76-Year-Old Fact About the Constitution

New Delhi: Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Saturday recalled a landmark moment in India’s constitutional history, noting that exactly 76 years ago, the 264 members of the Constituent Assembly formally signed the Indian Constitution. On the same day, the members also posed for a group photograph that has since become an iconic historical record.

Writing on the social media platform X, Ramesh said, “Seventy-six years ago today, the 264 members of the Constituent Assembly formally signed the Indian Constitution, which they had adopted on November 26, 1949. They signed three handwritten copies—two in English and one in Hindi—featuring 22 illustrations created by artists from Shantiniketan under the guidance of Nandalal Bose.”

He further noted that the English calligraphy was done by Prem Behari Narayan Raizada, while the Hindi manuscript was penned by Vasant K. Vaidya.

Ramesh highlighted that the first page of these manuscripts bore the national emblem, designed by Dinanath Bhargava. “At Nandalal Bose’s insistence, Bhargava spent several months observing lions at the Kolkata Zoo to ensure that the lions in the emblem looked as lifelike as possible,” he added.

The illustrated Constitution was later described by the Lalit Kala Akademi, established in August 1954, as “a monumental work of art” that represents India’s layered history and celebrates the philosophy of ‘unity in diversity.’ Ramesh remarked, “On that day, the members also gathered for a group photograph, which has become an enduring historical memory.”