Karam Singh
A commemorative postage stamp on Subedar and Honorary Captain Karam Singh PVC, an Indian soldier and first living recipient of Param Vir Chakra [a part of the series ‘50 Years of the Republic of India : Gallantry Award Winners‘] :
Issued by India
Issued on Jan 28, 2000
Issued for : The Golden Jubilee of the Indian Republic provides the appropriate occasion to pay a grateful nation’s proud homage to the courageous soldiers who have won these awards through their outstanding deeds. On this occasion, the Department of Posts issues a set of 5 stamps to pay tribute to Gallantry Award Winners of the Indian Armed Forces.
Design : The issue commemorates gallantry award winners of the armed forces, on the occasion of fifty years of the Republic of India. The first day cover depicts a section of the First Republic Day procession marching towards India Gate.
Credits :
Stamp & FDC : Sankha Samantha
Cancellation : Alka Sharma
Type : First Day Cover
Colour : Multi Colour
Denomination : 300 Paise
Overall size : 3.91 x 2.90 cms.
Printing size : 3.91 x 2.90 cms.
Perforation : 13 x 13
Paper : Un w/m Adhesive Gravure Coated Stamp Paper in Sheets 50.8 x 53.5 cms.
Stamps Printed : 0.4 Million
Number per issue sheet : 35 (7 Sets)
Printing Process : Photogravure
Printer : India Security Press, Nashik
Name : Karam Singh
Born on Sep 15, 1915 at Sehna, Barnala, Punjab, India
Died on Jan 20, 1993 at Sehna, Barnala, Punjab, India
About :
- The Indian Armed Forces, had an entirely different role to play, after India attained Independence. They now had the sacred purpose of defending the Motherland from aggression. Immediately after independence, they were called upon to safeguard India’s frontiers against the Pakistani invaders in Jammu and Kashmir. The jawans took up the challenge and performed remarkable deeds of valour, courage, endurance and self-sacrifice in repelling and defeating the invaders. In recognition of the supreme sacrifices made by the armed forces personnel, the Government of India instituted new Gallantry Awards for them, the highest being Param Vir Chakra.
- Subedar and Honorary Captain Karam Singh PVC was conferred the ‘Param Vir Chakra’ for his exemplary acts of courage and endurance during the 1948 operations of the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir. Karam Singh (then Lance Naik) was commanding a section in Richmar Gali which the enemy was trying to recapture through heavy artillery shelling. No bunker was left unscathed in the attack and the Lance Naik moved from bunker to bunker, giving succour to the wounded and urging the men to fight. The enemy achieved a major breakthrough when they obtained a foothold in the platoon locality. The wounded Lance Naik immediately launched a counter attack with a few men and after a grim hand to hand fight evicted the enemy, thus neutralising the crucial advantage gained by them earlier and frustrating their efforts to recapture the strategic Tithwal. His freely proud spirit was largely responsible for the gallant stand at Tithwal.
- Text : Based on material furnished by the Army Postal Service Corps.
