A commemorative postage stamp on Maha Rana Pratap Singh I, 13^th king of Mewar, fought against Mughal emperor, Akbar :

Issued by India

Issued on Jun 11, 1967

Issued for : The Posts & Telegraphs Department is proud to issue a special stamp on the 11^th June 1967 in honour of this great son of India.

Type : Stamp, Mint condition

Colour : Red Brown

Denomination : 15 Paisa

Overall Size : 4.06 X 2.28 cms.

Printing Size : 3.80 X 2.0 cms.

Perforation : 14½ x 14

Watermark : Printed on unwatermarked paper

Number Printed : 20,00,000

Number per issue Sheet : 50

Printing Process : Photogravure

Designed and Printed at : India Security Press

Name : Rana Pratap Singh 

Born on May 9, 1540 at Kumbhalgarh Fort, Rajasthan, India

Died on Jan 19, 1597 at Chavand, Rajasthan, India

About : 

• The chronicles of time are replete with instances of men having left their mark on posterity by virtue of the great power that they wielded or the numerous kingdoms and territories they conquered. It is occasionally that we get a glimpse of a man in the pages of history who is remembered and honoured not on account of his acquisition and wealth but for his adherence to moral principles in the face of heavy odds, a man who on purpose preferred a life of struggle and hardship for the preservation of the cherished ideals of freedom and liberty to that of a life of ease and security by succumbing to alien rule. Such one person was Maharana Pratap – a great warrior of liberty, a devoted lover of noble causes and an outstanding example of the highest moral character. His very name personifies chivalry, complete dedication to the cause of liberty and the highest principles of nobility and self-sacrifice.
• Maharana Pratap was born on the 9^th May 1540 A.D. On his father’s death he succeeded to the throne of Mewar on the 28^th February 1572 A.D. But the ‘Gadi’ that he inherited was not a bed of roses. Akbar had already embarked on a mission to crush Mewar and Chitor was already in his hands. Pratap considered that unless he also acknowledged Akbar as his suzerain, he would have to fight a long and bitter war. However he valued liberty and independence more than anything else and therefore chose the alternative of deadly struggle against the Mughal might rather than sacrificing his honour. In grim earnestness he set himself to the task. He infused courage and enthusiasm into his men and stirred them from their repose to stand shoulder to shoulder for a cause noble to the traditions of the Rajputs. Akbar sent a number of missions to bring Rana Pratap to his fold. Pratap welcomed them but refused to recognise the emperor as his sovereign. He spurned comfort and prepared himself for the worst kind of suffering. Akbar thereupon sent a well organised army to subdue the Maharana. Maharana Pratap gave fierce battle at Haldighati. Being heavily outnumbered he ultimately left the field saving himself from being captured or slain. Maharana Pratap subsequently reorganised his forces and continued his struggle against the Mughals. The repeated attempts of the Mughal commanders were foiled by the Rajputs under him ultimately bringing much misery and sufferings on the invaders. For twenty-five years Maharana Pratap played an important role on the political stage and represented with remarkable fidelity, the views of the great majority of his subjects. Maharana Pratap passed away on the 19^th January 1597 A.D. His death did more than close an epoch, it removed from the stage of Rajput politics a most attractive and striking personality. His name is immortal in the history of our land as a great soldier of liberty who concentrated his attention on the moral aspect of the struggle.

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