Dr. Rajendra Prasad (3 December 1884 – 28
February 1963) was the first President of the Republic of India. An Indian political leader,
lawyer by training, Prasad joined the Indian National Congress during the Indian independence movement and became a major leader
from the region of Bihar. A supporter of Mahatma Gandhi, Prasad was imprisoned by British authorities during
the Salt
Satyagraha of 1931 and the Quit India movement of 1942. Prasad served
one term as President of the Indian National Congress from 1934 to 1935. After
the 1946 elections, Prasad served as minister of food and agriculture in the
central government. Upon independence in 1947, Prasad was elected president of
the Constituent
Assembly of India, which prepared the Constitution of India and served as its provisional parliament.
When India
became a Republic in 1950, Prasad was elected its first President by the
Constituent Assembly. Following the general election of 1951, he was elected President by the electoral
college of the first Parliament of India and its state legislatures. As President, Prasad established a
tradition of non-partisanship and independence for the office-bearer, and
retired from Congress party politics. Although a ceremonial head of state,
Prasad encouraged the development of education in India and advised the Nehru
government on several occasions. In 1957, Prasad was re-elected to the
presidency, becoming the only president to have been in the office twice.
The postmark depicts The Rashtrapati Bhavan
(earlier known as the Viceregal Lodge) which is the official residence of the
President of India.
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