Indira Gandhi : In the Service of the Nation
A postage stamp on Indira Gandhi Commemoration (3rd Issue), 3rd Prime Minister of India (1966-77, 1980-84) :
Issued by India
Issued on Oct 31, 1985
Issued for : Department of Posts pays its humble tribute to the great leader who laid down her life in the cause of unity of the nation by issuing this third postage stamp in her honour on the solemn occasion of her first death anniversary.
Description of Designs : The stamp has been designed by India Security Press, Nashik Road. The First Day Cover has been designed by Kashi Nath Raha. The cancellation has been designed by Nenu Bagga.
Type : Stamp, Mint Condition
Colour : Multicolour
Denomination : 200 Paise
Overall size : 4.83 x 4.06 cms.
Printing size : 4.4 x 3.6 cms.
Perforation : 14 x 14
Paper : Unwatermarked P.G. matt coated paper
Number printed : 15,00,000
Number per issue sheet : 50
Printing Process : Photogravure
Printed at : India Security Press
Name : Indira Priyadarshini Nehru
Born on Nov 19, 1917 at Allahabad, United Provinces, British India
Died on Oct 31, 1984 at New Delhi, India
About :
- The life of Smt. Indira Gandhi, twice Prime Minister of India, was a saga of service to the nation. She endeavoured to bring to India fruits of development, modernity and progress and ultimately laid down her life in the cause of unity and integrity of the country. The immense challenges as presented by a country of India‘s size, population and diversity were successfully met by Smt. Gandhi, who served to weld this country as a modern nation , occupying a place of honour in the comity of nations.
- Smt. Gandhi became the Prime Minister of India in January 1966. But for a brief spell of three years from 1977 to 1980, she continued to lead the country to her cherished goal of social and economic justice and all round progress and prosperity till her death in 1984. During her tenure as Prime Minister she took bold and pragmatic steps like the Nationalisation of Banks and Abolition of Bonded Labour. A firm believer in socialism, equality and secularism, she worked tirelessly for advancement of the weaker sections and the minorities and took special care in safeguarding their cultural, religious and linguistic rights and traditions.
- The policies of Smt. Gandhi gave India a stable economic and industrial base and opened new vistas for prosperity all round. India achieved remarkable progress in the fields of science and technology due to her keen encouragement. During her tenure, India had the honour of putting her first man in space, launching communication satellites for mass education and testing her first nuclear device for peaceful purposes. India, under her stewardship, went all out in a big way in off-shore drilling to achieve near self-sufficiency in oil. The expedition to Antarctica was a landmark of her time.
- Smt. Gandhi always laid emphasis on youth welfare and education as essential to nation building. Her interest in moulding the youth through sports manifested itself in India hosting the Asiad in 1982. For her contribution to development of sports, the Gold Order of the International Olympic Council was conferred on her. Proud of India’s rich cultural heritage, she conceived of the Festivals of India. The first Festival was inaugurated by her in Great Britain.
- Realising that over-population was the root cause of many of India’s problems, she made strident efforts in the area of family planning and was awarded the UN Population Award in 1983. Smt. Gandhi was totally committed to the cause of better environment and ecological preservation. She pleaded passionately in international forums to take concrete measures to avoid thoughtless plundering of nature and desecration of our environment.
- On the international front, she voiced the concern for world peace and social justice on behalf of the developing countries. The Non-Aligned Meet of which she was made the chairperson in 1983 and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in India were some of the important highlights, which will go down in history. She made constant efforts to develop friendly relations with neighbouring countries in order to maintain peace in the sub-continent and for preserving Indian Ocean as a zone of peace. For her untiring, unmatched service to the nation she was awarded the Bharat Ratna.
