Puducherry Liberation Day in 2024

When is Puducherry Liberation Day?

Puducherry Liberation Day is a regional Indian public holiday observed in the union territory of Puducherry on November 1st each year.

This holiday commemorates the transfer of the territories of French India to the Republic of India on this day in 1954.

History of Puducherry Liberation Day

When India gained its independence from Britain in August 1947, it didn't mark an end to European colonial on the subcontinent as there were still regions under European control such as Goa (Portuguese) and Puducherry (French).

As part of the European colonial push into the Indian subcontinent, the French arrived during the 17th century, when the French East Indian Company ('La Compagnie française des Indes orientales') established a presence in several locations around the coast of India. 

In 1674, the municipality of Pondicherry became a French colony of the French colonial empire. Pondicherry later joined with the other French colonies at Chandernagor, Mahé, Yanam, Karaikal and Masulipatam to form French India. French India was ruled from Pondicherry. 

The territories of French India were transferred to the Republic of India de facto (in fact) on November 1st 1954. 

In August 1962, the de jure (formal in law) transfer took place, with four coastal enclaves becoming the present Indian constituent union territory of Puducherry.  The de jure transfer is celebrated in Puducherry with a public holiday on August 16th.

Did you know?

A union territory is a type of administrative division in India. All the Indian states have their own governments. Union territories are federal territories governed directly by the union (central) government). Several union territories have gone on to became states.