India on National Archives 1992
A commemorative postage stamp on the National Archives of India (NAI), a repository of non-current records of Government of India :
Issued by India
Issued on Apr 20, 1992
Description of Designs : The documents depicted on the stamp and the first day cover have been culled out from the vast collection of Persian records housed in National Archives. The document shown on the stamp is dated 1218 AH/1803-04 AD and is a letter from Muhammad Ali Khan, Nawab of Tonk to Maharao Raja Bakhtawar Singh of Alwar assuring him, among other things, his best co-operation. Also shown on the stamp is the small bag or ‘Kharita’ in which this letter was placed, with a lac seal of the writer, tied to it. The building housing the National Archives of India is in the background. The stamp has been designed by C.R. Pakrashi. The document shown on the first day cover, is a letter of felicitation from Raj Narain Bali, Hony. Magistrate, Dariabad to Nawab Hamid Ali Khan of Rampur on his accession to the throne. The letter is dated 1894 A.D. The cancellation has been designed by Alka Sharma.
Type : Stamp, Postal Used
Colour : Multi Colour
Denomination : 600 Paise
Overall size : 3.91 x 2.90 cms.
Printing size : 3.55 x 2.54 cms.
Perforation : 13 x 13
Paper : Imported Un W/M Adhesive Coated Stamp Paper
Number Printed : 6,00,000
Number per issue sheet : 35
Printing Process : Photo gravure
Printed : India Security Press
About :
- Situated at the Rajpath-Janpath crossing in the heart of New Delhi, National Archives of India is the repository of records of enduring value to posterity. Established at Calcutta in 1891 as the Imperial Record Department, it shifted to Delhi after the present building was completed in 1926.
- The regular series in the National Archives of India begin from 1748 but the oldest document being preserved dates back to 1352 A.D. The total holdings of the National Archives comprising approximately 30,00,000 files, volumes, maps etc. cover about 30 kms. of shelf space.
- Apart from public records, National Archives of India has assiduously built up a rich collection of private papers of eminent personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Azad, G.B. Pant, B.R. Ambedkar, M.R. Jayakar, Dadabhai Naoroji, etc. There is also a vast collection of Persian records, including ‘farmans’ of Mughal Emperors. A variety of reference material like Guides, Indexes, Catalogues, etc. are available for the benefit of research scholars.
- Scientific preservation of records is accorded highest priority by the Department which has adopted the most modern methods of repair. It has a Chemical Research Laboratory to facilitate research on conservation of documents, paper and allied materials. The School of Archival Studies imparts training in various disciplines of Archival Science and trainees from various countries like Thailand, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Uganda, Burma, Korea, Kenya, Malaysia, etc. have availed of its training programmes. Keeping pace with the latest technological advances, National Archives has initiated steps to computerise its records for quick retrieval of information. It also maintains a liaison with other Ministries and Departments of the Government of India as also various State Archives and has offered its advice and expertise for the scientific management and preservation of records.
- Text : Courtesy National Archives of India.
