Ruchi Ram Sahni

October 24, 2013

A commemorative postage stamp on Ruchiram Sahani, an Indian Punjabi freedom fighter, father of paleobotanist Birbal Sahni :

Issued by India

Issued on Oct 24, 2013

Issued for : Department of Posts is happy to release a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Ruchi Ram Sahni.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC/Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.41 Million (0.1 million for the proponent)

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : India Security Press, Nashik

Name : Ruchi Ram Sahni

Born on Apr 5, 1863 at Dera Ismail Khan, Punjab Province, British India [now in Pakistan]

Died on Jun 3, 1948 at Mumbai, India

About :

Ruchi Ram Sahni was a well-known educationist, notable scientist, nationalist, social & religious reformer, was born on 5^th April, 1863 at Dera Ismail Khan, now in Pakistan, to Karam Chand Sahni, a cloth merchant, and Gulab Devi.
Ruchi Ram Sahni was a brilliant student. He completed his matriculation from Government School, Lahore in 1881 & B.A. in 1884 in which he stood first in the University. He obtained his masters degree in Physics & Chemistry in December, 1885. He visited Presidency College, Calcutta as a trainee meteorologist and guest student in 1885 where he interacted with the leading personalities of Bengal. He was impressed by Dr. Mahendra Lal Sircar and decided to emulate him to take science to the masses.
He was the first Indian officer in the Indian Meteorological Department where he worked from 1885-87. He then moved to Lahore and became the first Indian science professor at Government College, Lahore where he served from 1887-1918. He published two research papers on radioactivity in 1915 & 1917 while working in the laboratory of Ernst Rutherford in Manchester where he interacted with Niels Bohr. He remained a member of the Punjab University senate and Syndicate for a number of years.
He was awarded the title Rai Sahib in 1909 which he returned in 1920 in support of the Khilafat Movement. In 1923, he was elected to the Punjab Legislative Council as a member of the Swaraj Party. He was elected fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences in the very year of its establishment in 1934. He served as a trustee of ‘The Tribune‘ from 1918 till his death.
He was a great advocate of science education in one’s mother tongue and made concerted efforts to propagate science in regional languages. A great advocate of employment oriented technical education, he played an important role in the establishment of the Victoria Diamond Jubilee Technical Institute in Lahore in 1897.
He adhered to the principles of Brahmo Samaj and held all religions in high esteem. He spoke out in favour of widow re-marriage and was a strong supporter of education of girls.
He strove hard to apply his intellect, knowledge, analytical skills & organizational abilities for the benefit of his countrymen. He was a crusader for popularizing science and inculcating a scientific temper at the grass-root level. An open minded and liberal thinker, he actively participated in socio-cultural & intellectual exploration of east-west encounter. His creative energy & brilliant intellect made him a truly legendary figure, who is as relevant today as he was in his own time.
Ruchi Ram Sahni breathed his last on 3^rd June, 1948.
Text : Based on the material furnished by the proponent.