B. G. Kher
A commemorative postage stamp on the Death Anniversary of “Sajjan” Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher, 1st chief minister of Bombay State (1947-52) :
Issued by India
Issued on Mar 8, 1989
Description of Designs : The stamp is designed by India Security Press, Nashik Road, the first day cover by Sankha Samanta and cancellation by Alka Sharma.
Type : Stamp, Mint Condition
Colour : Three Colour
Denomination : 60 Paise
Overall size : 4.06 x 2.73 cms.
Printing size : 3.71 x 2.38 cms.
Perforation : 13 x 13
Paper : Imported unwatermarked adhesive gravure coated stamp paper
Number Printed : 10,00,000
Number per issue sheet : 40
Printing Process : Photogravure
Printed : India Security Press
Name : Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher
Born on Aug 24, 1888 at Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India
Died on Mar 8, 1957 at Pune, Maharashtra, India
About :
- Shri Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher was born on 24 August 1888 at Ratnagiri in a middle class family. He spent some years of his boyhood at Kundgol in the then Jamkhandi State. Later, he migrated at the instance of Shri G.K. Gokhale to Pune to study at the New English School. Later he obtained the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1908 from the Wilson College, Bombay, with high distinction and received the Bhau Daji Lad prize for standing first in Sanskrit.
- In 1923 he took an active part in the Nationalist Movement, and became the Secretary of the Bombay Branch of the Swaraj Party, a wing of the Indian National Congress. He worked at that time as editor of the newly started Marathi daily Lokamanya. Kher took keen interest in the Bardoli Satyagraha. He worked hard to create better conditions for the tanners in Bandra, a suburb of Bombay. Shri Kher participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement responding to the call of Mahatma Gandhi. From 1930 to 1945 he was in jail four times.
- The noteworthy period of Shri Kher‘s political career was between 1937 and 1939, when he was nominated the Chief Minister of Bombay at the instance of Gandhiji. When the 1946 elections put the Congress Ministries back in office, Shri Kher again became the Chief Minister of Bombay. His Ministry earned the reputation of being the most progressive Ministry in India. As Chief Minister, he was an ex-officio member of the Constituent Assembly, and he played a notable part in the drafting of the Constitution. As he declined to stand for election in Bombay in 1952, he was elected by the Bombay Legislative Assembly as a member of the Rajya Sabha. He also served as India‘s High Commissioner in the United Kingdom. In recognition of his distinguished service to the country, the President conferred upon him the honour of Padma Vibhushan in 1954. In June 1955 he was appointed Chairman of the Official Languages Commission.
- He took then interest in Adivasi Welfare work. In 1956 he was appointed Chairman of the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi. He started the quarterly ‘Gandhi Marg‘ as a forum for propagating & discussing the ideas and ideals of Gandhiji. He died on 8th March, 1957.
- Text, courtesy: Government of Maharashtra.
