Beant Singh

December 17, 2013

A commemorative postage stamp on Beant Singh, 12^th Chief Minister of Punjab (1992-95) :

Issued by India

Issued on Dec 17, 2013

Issued for : Department of Posts salutes the dedication and patriotism of Beant Singh by issuing a Commemorative Postage Stamp on him.

Credits :
Stamp/FD : Sankha Samanta
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.31 Million

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Beant Singh

Born on Feb 19, 1922 at Patiala, Punjab, India

Died on Aug 31, 1995 at Chandigarh, Punjab, India

About :

Beant Singh was born to Captain Hazura Singh and Sahib Kaur on 19^th February, 1924 at village Bilaspur in the erstwhile Patiala district of the then PEPSU State. Bilaspur is now a part of Payal Tehsil of Ludhiana District in Punjab.
Beant Singh passed his graduation from Government College, Lahore where he was known to be an outstanding football player. Beant Singh was deeply moved to see bloodshed in the communal riots at the time of partition of the country in 1947. He strived to guide and help the hapless and poor migrants, many of whom had lost their kith and kin and property. He also helped in their rehabilitation and guided many of them for getting land and property allotted in India in lieu of their land and property left behind in Pakistan.
Beant Singh belonged to a family of army officers but he chose the field of public service for himself. He started his political career as Sarpanch of the village Bilaspur. He was elected as Chairman, Block Samiti, Doraha in 1960. He was elected as Director of the Central Cooperative Bank, Ludhiana in 1963. He was elected to Punjab Vidhan Sabha, as an independent candidate, from Payal Assembly Constituency in 1969 and served with full dedication. He again returned to Punjab Vidhan Sabha, as a Congress Candidate in 1972, 1977, 1980 and in 1992 and served as a Minister under S. Darbara Singh. He also held several important positions in the Congress Party during his illustrious political career.
Beant Singh took over the reins of the Punjab State as its Chief Minister in 1992 and is known for his contribution in bringing peace to the state when it was engulfed in terrorism. He displayed remarkable confidence, using a deft combination of firmness and reconciliation and was successful in eliminating militancy and thereby establishing peace and normalcy in the State. He strived hard to strengthen the economic condition of the State after the return of peace and communal harmony.
He was assassinated on 31^st August, 1995.