A commemorative postage stamp on the Birth Anniversary of Yug Pradhan Acharya Shri Tulsi, founder of Anuvrata movement and Jain Vishva Bharti Institute :

Issued by India

Issued on Oct 20, 1998

Issued for : The Department of Posts is happy to issue a commemorative Postage stamp in honour of Acharya Tulsi.

Credits :
Design for stamp & FDCs : Based on the material supplied by the Akhil Bhartiya Anuvrat Nyas, New Delhi.
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Two Colours

Denomination : 300 Paise

Overall size : 3.91 X 2.90 cms.

Printing size : 3.55 X 2.54 cms.

Perforation : 13 x 13

Paper : Imported un w/m Adhesive Gravure Coated Stamp Paper in sheets 50.8 x 53.5 cms.

Stamps Printed : 1.4 Million

Number per issue sheet : 35

Printing Process : Photogravure

Printer : India Security Press, Nashik

Name : Acharya Tulsi

Born on Oct 20, 1914 at Ladnun, Nagaur district, Rajasthan, India

Died on Jun 23, 1997 at Gangasahar, Bikaner district, Rajasthan, India

About : 

• Acharya Tulsi was born 20^th October, 1914 in a Jain family at Ladnun, a small town in district Nagaur of Rajasthan. He was brought up by his mother having lost his father in childhood. Drawn from an early age to his mission in life at the age of eleven, he got initiated into asceticism and at 22 years of age he was appointed as the Acharya (Supreme Head) of the Religious order of Jain Shwetambar Terapanth, by his Guru, Shri Kalugani, the eighth Acharya of the order.
• On 2^nd March, 1949, he launched the Anuvrat Movement for reinforcement of human values in life. Giving the slogan of “self–discipline only is life”, he propagated the Anuvratas (small resolves of self-discipline) amongst masses without any distinction of caste, creed, community, etc. He was honoured with the “Indira Gandhi National Integration Award of 1992”. He was a philosopher, writer, poet, singer, orator, spiritual saint, a great social reformer and spoke for the upliftment of women. He was an erudite scholar of several languages including Prakrit, Sanskrit, Hindi, Rajasthani. He undertook the herculean task of research in Agamas (Jain Canonical Literature) in 1995 and later got published critical editions of all the 32 Agamas. It was an unprecedented event in the annals of 1500 years of Jain History.
• Under his guidance, an Institute ‘Jain Vishva Bharti’ was established in 1971, at Ladnun, for studies, research, practical training, etc. in oriental learnings. It was given the status of “Deemed University” in 1991 by Govt. of India and U.G.C., and Acharya Tulsi was recognised as the First Anushasta (Disciplinarian).
• Acharya Tulsi wrote more than 50 books in Sanskrit, Hindi, Rajasthani. On behalf of the Tibetan Buddhist Research Institute at Sarnath, Dalai Lama conferred on Acharya Tulsi the degree of Vakpati (D. Litt. (Honouris Causa)), in 1992. In 1962, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, then Vice-President of India, honoured him by presenting him “Acharya Tulsi Felicitation Volume” on the eve of the Silver Jubilee of his Acharyaship at Gangasahar (Bikaner). In 1974, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, then President of India, honoured him at Delhi by presenting him the “Sati-Purti” volume on the eve of his completing 60 years. In 1972, the Jain community conferred on him the title of “Yugapradhan Acharya”, which was presented to him on behalf of Shri V. V. Giri, then President of India. In 1985, the Rajasthan Vidyapeath (Deemed University) conferred on him its highest title “Bharati Jyoti”, which was presented to him at Udaipur by Gyani Zail Singh, then President of India.
• In 1994, Acharya Tulsi made an exemplary renunciation of his post of Acharya. He passed away at 83, on 23^rd June, 1997, at Gangasahar.
• Write-up : Muni Shri Mahander Kumar Ji, Professor of Jain Viswa Bharati, Deemed University, Ladnun.

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