150th Anniversary of the Archaeological Survey of India 20.12.2011

 The task of protecting the cultural heritage of the nation has been entrusted to theArchaeological Survey of India (ASI), an organization functioning under the Department of Culture of the Government of India. Activities of the ASI include archaeological research, scientific analysis, excavation of archaeological sites, conservation of protected monuments and areas of national importance, maintenance of the museums and regulation of legislation related to antiquities and art treasures.

The Archaeological Survey of India completed 150 years of its existence. To commemorate the Sesquicentennial anniversary of ASI a set of commemorative postage stamps were released on 20th December, 2011 by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India. These stamps depict excavated structures and artefacts retrieved at Dholavira, the largest and very significant Harappan site in India.

Dr. Hiralal 31.12.1987

Henry Heras 14.12.1981

Henry Heras (11 September 1888 - 14 December 1955) was a Spanish Jesuit priest, archeologist and historian in India.

In 1981, the Indian postal department issued a stamp in his honor on which he is portrayed alongside a Mohenjo-Daro tablet. The stamp, designed by Indian Security Press, has a portrait of Henry Heras, along-with the facsimile of Indus Valley seals. First day cover, designed by India Security Press, shows the Logo of Heras Institute and Mohenjo-Daro seals.

Henry Heras was born in Barcelona, Spain on 11 September 1888, and did his early studies in that city. He joined the Society of Jesus in 1904, and was ordained priest in 1920. In October 1922 he came to India, and was assigned to St. Xavier’s College, Bombay. Fr. Heras was keen to investigate the treasures of Indian history and culture, and at the same time sharply aware of the need to train historiographers. He got his research students interested in similar themes, composing for them a masterly little treatise on The Writing of History. In 1926 he launched the Indian Historical Institute, which was to produce a galaxy of historians and indologists, and was later to be named after him the ‘Heras Institute of Indian History and Culture’.

Archeological Survey of India - Centenary 14.12.1961

These two stamps on the two covers was issued to commemorate the Centenary of the Archeological Survey of India on 14.12.1961.

The Archaeological Survey of India is an Indian government agency in the Department of Culture that is responsible for archaeological studies and the preservation of cultural monuments. According to its website, the ASI's function is to "explore, excavate, conserve, preserve and protect the monuments and sites of National & International Importance."

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is the successor of the Asiatic Society of British archaeologist Sir William Jones, founded January 15, 1784. In 1788 it begun to publish a journal The Asiatic Researches and in 1814 built its first museum in Bengal.

The ASI in its current form was founded in 1861 under British colonial administration by Sir Alexander Cunningham with the help of the then Viceroy Canning. At the time, its domain also included Afghanistan. When Mortimer Wheeler became Director-General in 1944, the head-office of the Survey was located at the Railway Board building in Simla. Prior to the partition of India, its' domain also included present-day Pakistan and Bangladesh. After independence, it came under The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites And Remains Act of 1958.

Kalibangān is a town located on the left or southern banks of the Ghaggar River , identified by some scholars with Sarasvati River in Tehsil Pilibangān, between Suratgarh and Hanumāngarh in Hanumangarh district, Rajasthan, India 205 km. from Bikaner. It is also identified as being established in the triangle of land at the confluence of Drishadvathi and Sarasvathi Rivers. The prehistoric and pre-Mauryan character of Indus Valley Civilization was first identified by Luigi Tessitori at this site. Kalibangan's excavation report was published in its entirety in 2003 by the Archaeological Survey of India, 34 years after the completion of excavations. The report concluded that Kalibangan was a major provincial capital of the Indus Valley Civilization. Kalibangan is distinguished by its unique fire altars and "world's earliest attested ploughed field".

3rd Independence Day and Issue of Archeological Series of Stamps 15.8.1949

A new series of postage stamps depicting sites of Archeological and Historical interest was issued on 15.8.1949 being the second Independence Anniversary of India. These definitive stamps were the first definitives issued after Independence. They were intended to replace the British Monarch King George VI stamps. It was decided that  both would be sold till the stocks of the old stamps were exhausted.

A special Independence Day Cover was also issued and was available for purchase from 8.8.1949. It was postmarked with a very impressive elephant cancellation.

The archeological stamps were, 3pies Ajanta Panel, 6pies Konarak Horse, 9pies Trimurti, 1anna Bodhi satva, 2annas Nataraja,3 annas Sanch Stupa,  3 ½ annas Bodh Gaya, 4annas Bhuvaneshwara, 6annas Gol Ghumbad, Bijapur, 8 annas Kandarya Mahadeva Temple, 12annas Golden Temple Amritsar,  1Rupee Victory Tower Chitorgarh, 2Rupees Red Fort Delhi, 5Rupees Taj Mahal Agra,  10Rupees Qutub Minar Delhi, 15 Rupees Satrunjaya Temple Palitana.

In this series a supplementary issue became necessary­­ as “Bodhi Sattva” statue was wrongly shown reversed (left hand raised instead of the right hand) in the 1 anna value, which was rectified by a fresh issue on 15.7.1950. A second supplementary issue became necessary, when foreign postal rates were increased for surface route from 1.12.1950. The rates for post cards was increased from 2 annas to 2 1/2 , and for letters from 3 ½ annas to 4 annas.

I have gleaned this information from a very interesting article by Mr. Ashok Kumar Bayanwala of Ahmedabad.