Independence Day is annually celebrated on 15 August as a public holiday in India, marking the nation's liberation from the United Kingdom on 15 August 1947. This momentous occasion coincided with the enactment of the Indian Independence Act, signifying the transfer of legislative sovereignty to the Indian Constituent Assembly. India maintained King George VI as its head of state until transitioning to a republic, officially recognized on 26 January 1950 as Indian Republic Day. This transition replaced the dominion prefix, Dominion of India, with the enactment of the sovereign Constitution of India. The journey to independence was characterized by a notable independence movement, notable for its largely non-violent resistance and civil disobedience, orchestrated by the Indian National Congress under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.