Independence Day is the national day of the Republic of Seychelles. It is celebrated on June 29 to commemorate the country’s independence from the United Kingdom in 1976.

The first Europeans to sight Seychelles were the Portuguese. But, the first Europeans to set foot on the islands were the British. The landing took place in 1690. However, it was France who began to take control of the archipelago in the mid-18th century. By the treaty of Paris, Seychelles, Mauritius, Tobago, and St. Lucia were formally handed over to British control by 1814.

After the Second World War, the colonial system began to collapse. In the Seychelles, the first political movements began to emerge in 1964. The Seychelles People’s United Party campaigned for independence from Britain, but it lost elections to the Seychelles Democratic Party that wanted closer integration with the metropolis. Following the election and negotiations with Britain, Seychelles was granted independence and became an independent republic on June 29, 1974.

The 50 Rupees issued in 1977 depicts, on the obverse, The First President J. R. Mancham at right with fished below and the denomination and the name of the country on the left. The reverse of the Banknote depicts Fishermen at the left-center. The Watermark window shows the Black parrot's head as a watermark.

Image Courtesy: realbanknotes.com