Renewable Energy Nov 22, 2007

A set of four commemorative postage stamps on Renewable Energy were issued  depicting the four common applications of renewable energy i.e. Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Small Hydropower and Biomass Energy.

Energy is a basic requirement for economic development. Every sector of economy – agriculture, industry, transport, commercial and domestic – needs inputs of energy. The economic development plans implemented since independence in India have necessarily required increasing amounts of energy. As a result, consumption of energy in all forms has been steadily rising all over the country.

This growing consumption of energy has also resulted in the country becoming increasingly dependent on fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. Rising prices of oil and gas and potential shortages in future lead to concerns about the security of energy supply needed to sustain our economic growth. Increased use of fossil fuel also causes environmental problems both locally and globally.  

The Dnyaneshwari 31.12.1990

The Dnyaneshwari  is a commentary on the Bhagwad Gita  written by the Marathi saint and poet Dyaneshwar  in the 13th century. This commentary has been praised for its aesthetic as well as scholarly value. The original name of the work is Bhavarth Deepika, which can be roughly translated as "The light showing the internal meaning" (of the Bhagvad Geeta), but it is popularly called the Dnyaneshwari after its creator.

The Dnyaneshwari provides the philosophical basis for the Bhagawata Dharma, a bhakti sect which had a lasting effect on the history of Maharashtra. It became one of the sacred books (i.e. the Prasthanatrai of Bhagawata Dharma) along with Eknathi  Bhagawata andTukaram Gaathaa. It is one of the foundations of the Marathi language and literature written in the Modi alphabet and continues to be widely read in Maharashtra. The Pasayadan or the nine ending verses of the Jñāneśvarī are also popular with the masses.

Tercentenary of Calcutta 28.12.1990

Kanaka Dasa 26.12.1990

Kanaka Dasa (1509 – 1609) was a poet, philosopher, musician and composer from modern Karnataka. He is known for his Kirtans and Ugabhoga, compositions in the Kannada language for Carnatic music. Like other Haridasas, he used simple Kannada language and native metircal forms for his compositions.

Historic Cities of India 24.12.1990

 India's is an ancient civilisation which has seen the rise and fall of many kingdoms and cities. Many of its cities, through hundreds of years old, are still vibrant with life today. To draw attention to this rich legacy, stamps on historic cities of India are issued from time to time. The first set shown here consists of stamps on the historic cities of Bikaner, Cuttack and Hyderabad.

(Rs4.00) The city of Bikaner was founded in 1488 by Rao Bika, son of Rao Jodha, the founder of Jodhpur. Bika laid the foundation of a city which has endured the vicissitudes of five centuries of turbulent history. Junagarh Fort was built by Raja Rai Singh a century later. Situated in the heart of great Thar desert with its oppressive and hostile climate, Bikaner has yet flourished i arts, crafts and culture. The Anup Sanskrit Library is world renowned. Maharaja Ganga Singh, who modernised the city besides building numerous public utilities and the Lalgarh Palace, also constructed the longest brick-lined canal in 1927. With its rich cultural heritage, Bikaner is one of the foremost tourist spots in Rajasthan.

(Rs5.00) Hyderabad completed 400 years of its existence in 1990. Founded along the river Mussi, a tributary of river Krishna, environs of Hyderabad have highly picturesque appearance. It was founded by Mohammed Quli, the fifth Qutab-Shahi kings. Hyderabad was the fulcrum of cultural and political activities in the southern part in India more commonly known as Deccan. The city boasts of Charminar, a stately rectangular building of 180 ft. height built in 1591. It also has the famous Salarjung Museum. It is dotted with water reservoirs such as Osman Sagar, Himayet Sagar, Hussain Sagar and Meer Alam Tank. The city got consolidated as the seat of power for the erstwhile state of Hyderabad during the reign of Asaf Jah, the Nizam of Hyderabad. Ever since its inception, the city has been centre of rich cultural traditions and customs side by side with its status of political and commercial capital.

(Rs6.50) The city of Cuttack is celebrating the millenium of its existence. It is situated on the Peninsula created by the bifurcation of Mahanadi river. Cuttack played and continues to play, a dominant role in the history of India. The most important land mark of the city is the Fort of Barabati which was originally built by King Anangabhim Deva-III (1211-38). He also built the stone revetment along the banks of Mahanadi and Hatojori rivers to protect the city against floods. King Mukunda Deva (1559-68) added to Barabati Fort to make it a 9 storey building. Cutack, over the centuries, fostered and nurtured the growth of civilisation in this part of India and remains famous for its arts, crafts and culture. Among other notable landmarks are the Amareshwar temple and the Jain temple built in the 18th century.

Greetings 17.12.1990

The modern day greeting card crystalised in 1843 when the first X-mas card with season's greetings was designed in U.K. The commercial production of greeting cards became fully established by 1860's. Though there are several means of conveying greetings, the post remains the most popular and predominant mode of transmission. In India, too, the practice of sending greetings by way of illustrated messages by post was perhaps started by the British. It has become now an established feature as in most other countries. We send greetings on occasions like Birthdays, Wedding Anniversaries and other happy occasions besides Deepawali, Pongal, Durga Puja, Baisakhi, Bihu, Christmas, Id and other regional festivals. 

To strengthen the spirit of such greetings and make the medium of transmission more communicative, the Department of Posts brought out a set of two stamps on the theme of greetings.

The Border Security Force (BSF) - Silver Jubilee 30.11.1990

The Border Security Force (BSF) is the primary Border Guarding police force of India. It is one of the five Central Armed Police Forces of the Union of India, it was raised in the wake of the 1965 War on 1 December 1965, "for ensuring the security of the borders of India and for matters connected there with". It is a Central Armed Police Force charged with guarding India's land border during peace time and preventing transnational crime. It is a Union Government Agency under the administrative control of Ministry of Home Affairs. The BSF has its own cadre of officers but its head, designated as a Director-General (DG), since its raising has been an officer from the Indian Police Service. It is an Armed Force of the Union of India tasked with various assignments from time to time. The BSF has grown exponentially from a few battalions in 1965, to 186 battalions with strength of 2.4 lakh personnel including an expanding air wing, marine wing, artillery regiments, and commando units. It currently stands as the world's largest border guarding force. BSF has been termed as the First Wall of Defence of Indian Territories.

The stamp depicts a desert post and a camel patrol.

Children’s Day 1990 14.11.1990

The Children’s Day Stamp shows a painting titled “Doll and Cat” by a three years old child Subhash Kumar Nagarajan of Madurai; the FDC is based on the painting titled “Tiger in a Jungle” by a 9 year old child Karan Arya of Ahmedabad,

Suryamal Mishran 12.10.1990

Suryamal Mishran (1815–1863) was a poet from Bundi, Rajasthan, India. He hailed from the Charan caste. He knew six languages and was a scholar of grammar, logic, history and politics. He wrote in Hindi, Pingal and Dingal. His important works include Vansh Bhaskar, Vir Satsai, Balwant Vilas and Chhandomayush.

Mishran was a court poet. His birth place was Bundi, which was ruled by the great Hada Chauhan dynasty. In the poetry world they are known as "Mahakavi."He undertook the work Vans Bhaskar at the order of Maharao Raja Ramsingh of Bundi. The word Vans means genealogy and Bhaskar means the sun, hence Vans Bhaskar is intended to be a chronicle of the Hada Chauhan dynasty, who claimed to originate from the sun. He intended to write Vans Bhaskar in two volumes and twelve parts as an analogy with the sun, which has two solstices and twelve months in a year. He left the work unfinished at the eighth part of the second volume because of differences with his patron, whose territory became British protectorate, while poet supported the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Mishran's glorification of local heroes helped to develop the spirit of nationalization in Rajasthan.

The 3rd and 5th Battalions of 5th Gorkha Rifles 1.10.1990

The 3rd and 5th Battalions of 5th Gorkha Rifles. The 3rd battalion of 5th Gorkha Rifles was raised as 3/5 Royal Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) at Ferozpur on 28th Nov. 1916. In the First World War, the Battalion saw active service in Afghanistan and Mesopotamia. The Battalion was disbanded in 1921 and was re-raised at Abbotabad on 1 Oct, 1940. During the Second World War, the Battalion served in Burma as part of 23 Inf Div and was awarded the battle Honours 'Tiddim' for its outstanding action in the battle of Tiddim. The Battalion also took part in Post War Ops in Indonesia.

After Independence the Battalion has seen action in a number of operations including the Hyderabad Operation and the Indo-Pak War, 1971. During this period, the Battalion has served on the Northern and Eastern Borders of the country. Since its raising on 1 Oct 1940 the Battalion has won many awards in various wars and operations.

The 5th battalion of 5th Gorkha Rifles was raised on 1 Oct 1940 as Third Battalion of the Sixth Gorkha Rifles at Abbotabad (West Pakistan). On 1 Jan 1948, the Battalion was re-designated as Fifth Battalion of the Fifth Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force). During the Second World War, the Battalion took part in the operations in Burma as part of 77 Independent Infantry Brigade under the Overall Command of General Wingate as Wingate's "Special Force". The Battalion showed exemplary bravery in capturing Mogaung on 23rd Jun 1944 and won two Victoria Crosses in a single battle on the same day. The recipients were Captain Mchael Allmand (Posthumous) and Rifleman Tul Bahadur Pun.

The Battalion then took part in the Hyderabad action in 1948 and was awarded the first Ashoka Chakra Class I of free India. The recipient was Naik Nar Bahadur Thapa. Subsequently the Battalion acquitted itself extremely well in Nagaland during the 1965 operations. Since its raising on 1 Oct 1940 the Battalion has a proud tally of awards in various wars and operations. The Battalion has been awarded Battle Honours Chindits, Mogapaung and Sittang and Theatre Honours Burma and East Pakistan.

A. K. Gopalan 1.10.1990

Ayillyath Kuttiari Gopalan (1 October 1904 – 22 March 1977), popularly known as A. K. Gopalan orAKG, was an Indian communist leader and first leader of opposition in India.

XIth Asian Games 29.9.1990

To mark the occasion of Asian Games, the Department of Posts had issued stamps on the 1st Asian Games in 1951 and again on the 9th Asian Games. On the occasion of the XIth Asian Games, the Department of Posts is issuing a set of four special stamps, depicting Athletics (Rs4.00), Cycling (Rs4.00), Archery (Rs6.50) and Kabbadi (Re1.00), the last sport has been included for the first time in Asian Games.

Safe Drinking Water 10.9.1990

The International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade (IDWSSD) had its origin at the Water conference held at Mar-Sel-Plata in 1977 and subsequent United Nations General Asssembly Resolution of 1980. About 120 developing countries have actively participated in the UNDP programme during the decade for ensuring safe drinking water and sanitation facilities.

International Literacy Year 8.9.1990

International Literacy Year. The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 1990 as the International Literacy Year (ILY) and has invited UNESCO to assume the role of lead organisation for preparation and observance of the year. The UNESCO has listed certain major objectives for observing this year. These include, increasing the thrust by governments on literacy programmes, increasing public awareness on the dimensions and implication of literacy, increasing public participation in the programme, increasing cooperation and solidarity amongst Member States and launching a plan of action for complete eradication of literacy by 2000 AD. Literacy is one of the basic human virtues in the present day society.

Care for the Girl Child 5.9.1990

The fact that the Girl Child is deprived of her due share of love, care and attention and is a victim of discrimination and oppression even by those who are supposed to bring her up on equal footing with the boys, culminated in the decision of the SAARC Summit to remedy this gross injustice. An Action Plan for India includes programmes of advocacy aimed at removing the existing sex barriers and creating a favourable atmosphere in the society for the acceptance and overall development of the Girl Child on equal terms with boys.

Sundarlal Sharma 28.8.1990

Sundarlal Sharma (1881–1940), was a freedom and social justice activist of the Chhattisgarh region.

K. Kelappan 24.8.1990

K. Kelappan (24 August 1889 – 7 October 1971) was a founding member and president of Nair Service Society, a reformer, an Indian freedom fighter, educationist and journalist. He is also known as Kerala Gandhi. Post independence he held various seats in Gandhian organizations.

Indo-Soviet friendship 16.8.1990

Indo-Soviet friendship demonstrated to the world how two people with different social systems can establish a firm relationship of understanding and mutual benefit and also work for a larger universal cause-a common cause of peace. Further in the direction of mutual understanding and co-operation, the Soviet Union and India embarked on a joint venture in the field of stamp issues. Both countries held a competition among children below the age of 17 years in the second half of 1989 for designing a stamp. Indian children were to design a stamp on a Russian theme and reciprocally, Soviet children were to design a stamp on an Indian theme. The stamp issued were the first prize winners of the two competitions.

The Indian stamp on Russian theme is based on the prize-winning painting of Sanjay Adhikari, VIII Std, Kalakendra, Chandernagore. The Russian stamp on an Indian theme is based on the painting of Vorontsova Tanya of Kishnikov, Maldovia. The First Day Cover is based on the painting of Suchita Datta VIII Std., New Delhi.  

Khudiram Bose 11.8.1990

Khudiram Bose (3 December 1889 – 11 August 1908) was a Bengali revolutionary, one of the youngest revolutionaries early in the Indian independence movement. At the time of his hanging, he was 18 years, 8 months 8 days old.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) 31.5.1990

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare , Government of India. Formerly known as Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, it was established on 16 July 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in pursuance of the report of the Royal Commission on Agriculture. The ICAR has its headquarters at New Delhi.

The Council is the apex body for co-ordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country. With 101 ICAR institutes and 71 agricultural universities spread across the country this is one of the largest national agricultural systems in the world.