Sanjay Gandhi

June 23, 1981

A commemorative postage stamp on the 1^st Death Anniversary of Sanjay Gandhi, an Indian politician and son of Indira Gandhi (former Indian prime minister) :

Issued by India

Issued on Jun 23, 1981

Issued for : The P & T Department is privileged to issue a commemorative stamp in Sanjay Gandhi‘s memory.

Designs : First Day Cover was designed by GRAPHISADS, New Delhi and the special cancellation by Charanjit Lal.

Designed by : C. R. Pakrashi

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multicolour

Denomination : 35 Paise

Overall size : 3.91 x 2.90 cms.

Printing size : 3.55 x 2.54 cms.

Perforation : 13 x 13

Paper : Printed on unwatermarked adhesive stamp paper

Number printed : 20,00,000

Number per issue sheet : 35

Printing process : Photogravure

Printed at : India Security Press

Name : Sanjay Gandhi

Born on Dec 14, 1946 at New Delhi, British India

Died on Jun 23, 1980 at New Delhi, India

About :

Sanjay Gandhi was born on 14 December 1946 in New Delhi. He was the son of Feroze and Indira Gandhi, and the grandson of India‘s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. After his early education in New Delhi and Dehra Dun, he pursued his interests in engineering with the Rolls Royce Factory in Crewe, England, from where he returned in 1966 with a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering and began the unique venture of building a “people’s car”, Maruti, neither asking for nor getting any favours.
However, events overtook him as he was drawn into the national life of the country and began to take an active interest in the development of the youth of the country. In 1975, Sanjay Gandhi joined the Youth Congress, and from the beginning he set his stamp on its activities. His unswerving conviction that action spoke louder than words, led to result-oriented programmes. These he propagated in clear, simple language with an intensity that was compelling. He was able to harness youth in constructive programmes and emerged as the leader of a surging youth movement in the country, providing leadership for a new generation of young Indians who needed both direction and inspiration. The 5-Point Programme which Sanjay Gandhi propounded struck at the very roots of social injustice, and was directed towards channeling the abundant energies and constructive work of the youth of India towards the goal of National reconstruction.
March 1977 saw a reversal in the political fortunes of Sanjay Gandhi, but not a reversal in his beliefs and convictions. In spite of a spate of legal cases and other harassment instituted against him and persecution from several quarters, he continued to inspire and motivate. This was the supreme test of leadership, and the qualities of courage and dignity displayed by Sanjay Gandhi earned him the unqualified support of his followers and the masses of India. The Congress (I) Party won an overwhelming victory and Sanjay Gandhi was elected to the Lok Sabha in January 1980 from Amethi.
In the Lok Sabha, he became the symbol of a new generation of Indians who, through unstinted hard work, wanted to build up the country and its people to a destined greatness. On 10 June 1980, he was appointed General Secretary of the of the AICC (I) to begin this task.
Hardly had Sanjay Gandhi‘s parliamentary career begun, when it was cruelly cut short. On 23 June 1980, he died in an air crash in New Delhi. He left unfinished a gigantic task but in the short span of his life, he set an example of service and leadership to his countrymen, which will remain a beacon of inspiration for future generations.