The Indian Constitution adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949 and brought into force on Republic Day, 26 January 1950 is not just the legal bedrock of the world’s largest democracy; it’s full of surprising stories. It is by far the longest written constitution of any country, organized into 448 articles, 25 parts, and 12 schedules. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar gave the Indian Constitution its legal spine, turning hard-won ideals into enforceable rights. Alongside him, women members like Hansa Mehta and Durgabai Deshmukh reshaped the document by pushing equality and civil freedoms into its core. Jawaharlal Nehru gave a philosophical tone through the Objectives Resolution, a speech that later evolved into the Constitution’s Preamble.
In contrast to the Indian Constitution no other sovereign nation has a longer constitution. In its English version the Indian Constitution runs about 146,000 words. It originally had 395 articles (in 22 parts and 8 schedules) and today has 448 articles (in 25 parts and 12 schedules) covering every aspect of governance. This makes it nearly five times the size of the U.S. Constitution.
The final document was painstakingly handwritten and illustrated. Rather than being typeset, the Constitution was penned in elegant calligraphy: Prem Behari Narain Raizada wrote the entire English version in a flowing italic script. He didn’t charge a fee. He asked that his name and his grandfather’s name be written on the final pages. Raizada reportedly experimented with dozens of pen nibs. While Vasant Krishna Vaidya penned the Hindi text.. Every page was then decorated by the celebrated artist Nandalal Bose and his students, who added Indian cultural scenes and motifs in golden ink. The result is not only a legal text but a marvellous manuscript bound in black leather and embossed with gold that showcases India’s artistic heritage.
The Constitution’s makers intended it to endure for centuries. It was written on microbe-resistant parchment sheets sized 45.7×58.4 cm with a guaranteed shelf life of 1,000 years. In total, the handwritten Constitution runs to 234 pages and weighs about 13 kilograms. Such sturdiness and the elaborate calligraphy help explain why it took nearly five years to complete. It truly was a labor of love and legacy: the document is physically massive and artistically rich.
Although it’s uniquely Indian, the Constitution drew heavily on global examples. It adopted the parliamentary system and legislative procedures from the United Kingdom, the concept of a Bill of Rights and judicial review from the United States, and other features from Ireland, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Japan, France and more. The framers studied about 60 other constitutions to select the best provisions for India. This “bag of borrowing” means India’s charter blends influences from many democracies to suit local needs.
From the start, India’s Constitution has been rewritten often. As of mid-2025 it has been amended 106 times, making it the most amended national constitution in the world. In fact, the first amendment was made less than a year after adoption. By contrast, the U.S. Constitution has only 27 amendments since 1787. The Indian document is meticulous and many policy issues that other countries leave to ordinary laws are enshrined here, so amendments are frequent. On average the Constitution has been tweaked roughly twice a year since 1950.
The handwritten Constitution is preserved in Parliament under special conditions, protected from air, light, and microbes. The original English and Hindi manuscripts are preserved in specially designed sealed cases at the Parliament Library reportedly filled with an inert gas like helium or nitrogen to protect them. In 1950, the government also had 1,000 exact photolithographic copies printed but today only a handful survive. Also, drafting this document was expensive, the Constituent Assembly spent about ₹64 lakh in the late 1940s to create it.
In 1950, India introduced universal adult franchise instantly, allowing every adult citizen to vote regardless of education, wealth, caste, or gender. At that time, many developed countries were still expanding voting rights slowly. India took the boldest democratic leap in one go.
The Right to Property was originally a Fundamental Right, but after years of legal battles and land reform debates, it was removed by the 44th Amendment Act of 1978 and is now a legal right under Article 300-A. Today, it survives only as a legal right, showing how the Constitution adapts to social and economic change
Though the Indian Constitution drew inspiration from several constitutions around the world, its framers curated and innovated. The result is a document so meticulously crafted that a photolithographic copy of the Constitution of India resides in the Rare Book Collection of the U.S. Library of Congress. These reproductions were made around the time India became a republic in 1950
After the Constitution came into force in 1950 millions voted for the first time in the 1951–52 elections, many without shoes, literacy, or any idea of what the future will bring, but with inked fingers and faith in the new system. The country then redrew its own map in 1956, reorganising states by language to prevent chaos and hold the Union together. Since then, the Constitution has lived on not as a relic, but as a constantly argued, amended, and defended promise between the Indian state and its people.