100 Years of the Red Flag: The Communist Party of India’s Century-Long Journey
December 26, 2025 – Today marks the centenary of the Communist Party of India (CPI), founded exactly 100 years ago at the historic Kanpur Conference in 1925. As red flags wave across the country from New Delhi to Nashik and Khammam, the party reflects on a legacy of struggles, sacrifices, and landmark achievements amid challenges in the present.
Roots in Revolution
The Indian communist movement was ignited by the 1917 October Revolution in Russia. Indian revolutionaries abroad, inspired by Lenin, formed early groups – notably an émigré party in Tashkent in 1920 led by M.N. Roy. However, the CPI officially dates its founding to December 26, 1925, when communist groups converged in Kanpur (then Cawnpore) under the chairmanship of Singaravelu Chettiar.
This conference united strands from Bombay (S.A. Dange), Madras (Singaravelu), Calcutta (Muzaffar Ahmad), and others. It adopted Marxism-Leninism, aimed for a workers’ and peasants’ republic, and integrated class struggle with the anti-colonial freedom movement.
Key early leaders included M.N. Roy, S.A. Dange, and later E.M.S. Namboodiripad.
Trials Under Colonial Rule
The British swiftly repressed the fledgling party. The 1929 Meerut Conspiracy Case tried 33 communists, ironically boosting their visibility. Banned in 1934, the CPI operated underground, organising workers through the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC, founded 1920) and peasants via the All India Kisan Sabha (1936).
During World War II, the party initially opposed the “imperialist war” but shifted after the 1941 Nazi invasion of the USSR, supporting the Allied effort and gaining legality in 1942.
Post-war peasant uprisings showcased communist militancy: the Telangana Rebellion (1946–1951) against feudalism in Hyderabad, Tebhaga in Bengal, and Punnapra-Vayalar in Travancore.
Communists mobilised masses, fought untouchability and communalism, and contributed to India’s independence struggle.
Post-Independence Milestones and Challenges
In independent India, the CPI became the principal opposition. Its crowning achievement came in 1957: the world’s first democratically elected communist government in Kerala, led by E.M.S. Namboodiripad, implementing bold land reforms and education policies – though dismissed by the Centre in 1959.
Ideological rifts over the Sino-Soviet split and approach to Congress led to the 1964 formation of the CPI(Marxist) or CPI(M). The CPI influenced labour laws, land reforms, and social justice, with electoral strongholds in Kerala, West Bengal (via Left Front), and Tripura.
Centenary Amid Reflection
Today, celebrations include flag hoisting by General Secretary D. Raja in New Delhi, a seminar on “100 Years of the CPI – Tradition and the Future”, cultural events, exhibitions, and local marches like Nashik’s Red Flag rally.
As CPI leader D. Raja writes, this centenary is “a call to action” against assaults on democracy and erosion of rights. Despite electoral contraction – now with limited MPs and MLAs – the party’s ideological fight for equality, secularism, and workers’ rights endures.
A century on, the CPI’s journey from Kanpur’s industrial halls to nationwide struggles underscores resilience. In an era of inequality and polarisation, its red flag continues to symbolise hope for transformative change.
About The Author
