A commemorative postage stamp on the 150^th anniversary of the Srirampur College, in West Bengal, second oldest college in India, established in 1818 by Serampore Trio (William Carey, Joshua Marshman and William Ward) :

Issued by India

Issued on Jun 7, 1969

Issued for : Serampore College celebrated the centenary of its founding in 1818 and the centenary of receiving the Charter in 1827. It was affiliated to the University of Calcutta from its very inception. It awaits the recognition of the University Grants Commission as a degree-giving university of full status. After 150 years of fruitful service in the field of higher education, the College celebrated this year its ‘Terjubilee’, i.e., the 150^th Anniversary of its founding. In commemoration of this great occasion, the Posts and Telegraphs Department is happy to bring out a special postage stamp in the name of the College.

Description of Design : The design of the stamp is horizontal and depicts the building of the “Serampore College” showing front and left side view.

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Plum

Denomination : 20 Paise

Overall Size : 3.34 X 2.46 cms.

Printing Size : 2.99 X 2.10 cms.

Perforation : 14 x 13½

Watermark : Printed on unwatermarked paper

Number Printed : 30,00,000

Number per issue Sheet : 54

Printing Process : Photogravure

Designed and Printed at : India Security Press

About : 

• Serampore College was established in 1818 by Dr. William Carey and his associates, Joshua Marshman and William Ward, under the Royal Danish Charter, which empowered the College to confer degrees in Theology. These pioneer missionaries were members of the British Baptist Missionary Society, which was formed in 1792. Carey came out to India in 1793, but due to the hostility of the British East India Company, was obliged to carry on his missionary work for several years as an indigo planter in Malda till he was given protection and shelter in the Danish Settlement at Serampore.
• The objective of the missionaries was to introduce Eastern literature and Western science to this country. Their contribution in the fields of arts and science, agriculture, horticulture, archaeology, journalism, social welfare, etc., had been significant. Indeed this period of their work in the field of education was hailed by the historians as the 19^th century renaissance in Bengal.
• Serampore College was and, perhaps, still today is the only college which imparts religious and secular education under one management. It is clearly laid down in its constitution that “no caste, colour or country shall bar any man from admission to the College.” It was both Oriental and Occidental in character, trying to maintain the regional language as the medium of instruction.

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