Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun
A commemorative postage stamp on the 75th anniversary (1922-97) of the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC), a boys public school in Doon Valley, Dehradun :
Issued by India
Issued on Mar 13, 1997
Issued for : To mark the Platinum Jubilee of the RIMC the Department of Post is proud to issue a commemorative postage stamp on the Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun.
Design Credits :
Stamp : Based on the material supplied by DCOAS (P&S) Sectt.
First Day Cover : Col. N.S. Brar
Cancellation : Smt. Alka Sharma, Based on the design by Col. N.S. Brar
Type : First Day Cover
Colour : Five
Denomination : 200 Paise
Overall size : 4.05 x 4.85 Cms.
Printing size : 3.40 x 4.40 Cms.
Perforation : 13.5 x 13.5
Paper : Matt Chromo
Stamps Printed : 0.7 Million
Number per issue sheet : 40
Printing Process : Photo–offset
Printer : Calcutta Security Printer Ltd., Kanpur
About :
- The Rashtriya Indian Military College at Dehradun was inaugurated as the Prince of Wales’ Royal Indian Military College on 13 March 1922 by Edward, the Prince of Wales, who was later King Edward VIII of Great Britain. Based on demands made by India’s nascent freedom movement for Indian Officers to lead Indian troops, the founding of the College paved the way for young Indian lads to become commissioned officers of India’s defence services.
- The RIMC was the first public school of India set up on the lines of Eton and Harrow, for a small number of carefully selected boys. It has even now retained its characteristics of being a cradle of excellence, leadership and bravery.
- It is a feeder institution to the National Defence Academy and the Academies of the three defence services. The finest leaders of men have passed out of its portals.
- Hardly comprising 0.15 per cent of the annual officer intake in the Indian armed forces, they have provided three Army Chiefs and one Air Chief in India; two Air Chiefs and one Army Chief in Pakistan besides numerous Army commanders, corps commanders, diplomats, and top grade professionals in both India and Pakistan over the last 50 years since independence [i.e. upto 1997]. The country’s first recipient of the Victoria Cross in World War II, Second Lieutenant (Later Lieutenant General) PS Bhagat and free India’s first Param Vir Chakra of the Kashmir War of 1947, Major Somnath Sharma were both alumni of the RIMC.
- In the sphere of sports and adventure activities, so important for building character, the RIMC has excelled at all India levels. The College squash team has more than once been the national champions in the under 16 category. In soccer, the college team remains one of the top few. The young cadets have taken to diversified disciplines such as mountaineering, white-water rafting, naval cruises, desert safaris, hot air ballooning, mountain cycling and para sailing. Notable among recent mountaineering achievements has been the successful summiting of Mount Kedar Nath Dome (6830 M) by four boys, thus setting a World Record for the youngest to scale such a height. ‘The Cradle of Excellence’ has produced three Arjuna Award Winners comprising a leader of Mt. Everest expedition; participants of the renowned round the world sailing expedition on the yacht Trishna and in Squash.
- Text Courtesy : Rimcollian Old Boys Association.
