Dr. Sampurnanand
A commemorative postage stamp on the Death Anniversary of Dr. Sampoornanand, 2nd Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (1954-60) : 
Issued by India
Issued on Jan 10, 1994
Issued for : The Department of Posts is privileged to issue a commemorative postage stamp on Dr. Sampurnanand who will be remembered by a grateful nation for a long time to time.
Design Credits :
Stamp: India Security Press, Nashik.
F.D.C.: Based on the photograph supplied by the sponsor.
Cancellation: Smt. Alka Sharma, Artist, Department of Posts.
Type : Stamp, Mint condition
Colour : Multi Colour
Denomination : 100 Paise
Overall size : 3.91 x 2.90 cms.
Printing size : 3.55 x 2.54 cms.
Perforation : 13 x 13
Paper : Indigenous Un W/M Adhesive Gr Coated gummed Stamp Paper in Sheet 50.8 x 53.5 cm.
Number of stamps Printed : 0.6 Million
Number per issue sheet : 35
Printing Process : Photogravure
Printer : India Security Press
Name : Sampurnanand
Born on Jan 1, 1891 at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Died on Jan 10, 1969 at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
About :
- Dr. Sampurnanand was an eminent nationalist, freedom fighter, a great thinker with a socialist bent of mind, an able administrator and above all, a scholar of great merit. He was well read even at the young age of 10 and reached matriculation level when only 14. At this tender age, he could not appear for the examination but young Sampurnanand did not waste his time. He joined the Carmichael Library at Kashi and read all the books that he could find there.
- During the freedom movement he spent almost 5 years in prison and was associated with and greatly influenced by Mahatma Gandhi. He was a person who had interests in varied subjects. On the one hand he has written books on Indian Philosophy and culture and on the other he has authored several books on history, astrology, socialism and other subjects. In the field of journalism he left his contribution as editor of journals and newspapers such as ‘Maryada’, ‘Jagran’, ‘Aaj’ and ‘Today’. The Congress Socialist Party was founded in 1934 and its first session at Bombay was presided over by Dr. Sampurnanand. He was a member of the first Ministry formed in what was then known as united provinces in 1936. He was Minister in charge of Education, Labour & Information from 1946-60. Later, he also served as the Governor of Rajasthan (1962-67).
- Vocational education and military education in schools were among Dr. Sampurnanand’s contributions in the sphere of education. The innovative concept of ‘open jails’ was first introduced by him.
- The cane-growers movement and the Siswa Bazar episode which followed the calling off of Mahatma Gandhi’s Civil Disobedience Movement made him one of the mass leaders of the movement. He showed considerable political tact at the time of Badrinath Temple Bill in the U.P. Legislature. As a Minister of Education in the U.P. Cabinet, he did much for the propagation of basic education and adult education.
- Dr. Sampurnanand had a large number of publications to his credit, including ‘Dharamvir Gandhi’ (a life sketch of the Mahatma during his South African Campaign), ‘Maharaj Chhatrasal’, ‘Bharat Ke Deshi Rajya’, ‘The Individual and the State’, ‘Aryan Ka Adi Desh’.
- Outwardly Dr. Sampurnanand was orthodox, but at the same time he had a rational and liberal approach to religion. As he wrote, “It is true that a Man’s religion, using the word not in the sense of a credo, or set phrases out of a catechism influences his whole conscious and sub-conscious life, and a study of it cannot be excluded from an analysis of the forces which have moulded his personality”.
- He lived a quiet, austere and a philosopher’s life and did not pursue public acclaim or recognition. He was one of the silent constructive workers of our freedom movement whose contribution to the making of modern India was really immense.
- Source : Based on the material supplied by the Sponsor and Dictionary of National Biography.
