Issued by India

Issued on Aug 2, 2025

Issued for : The Department of Posts is proud to release a commemorative postage stamp celebrating the life and legacy of Purshottamdas H. Purohit. This stamp is a tribute to his remarkable journey from humble beginnings to becoming a beacon of hope, resilience, and nation-building.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC/Brochure/Cancellation Cachet : Ms. Nenu Gupta

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 304950

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Purshottamdas H. Purohit

Born on 2 Aug, 1920 at Basant, Pali district, Rajasthan, India

Died on —

About : 

• Purshottamdas H. Purohit was a karmayogi, an unsung freedom fighter, a visionary entrepreneur, and a devoted philanthropist. He was a man who lived a life devoted to hard work and selfless service to all sections of society.
• He was born on August 2, 1920, into a Rajpurohit (Brahmin) family in Basant, Pali, Rajasthan. He lost his father at the age of three and was raised by his mother. Due to limited resources for farming, he moved to Mumbai at the tender age of ten in search of a livelihood. Through dedication and hard work, he eventually earned recognition as a noted chef.
• His exceptional culinary skills were acknowledged when he was chosen to accompany his employers as head chef on a business tour to Europe in 1939. This tour, originally brief, was extended to four years due to the outbreak of World War II. His travels through countries such as Italy, England, France, Austria and Germany broadened his worldview, though he remained deeply connected to his roots.
• During his time in Europe, he met his hero, Bharat Ratna Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and became affiliated with the Azad Hind movement. His growing involvement led him to become a trusted confidant of Netaji. He played a discreet yet vital role in the movement, seeing it as his duty to the Nation. The story of India’s freedom is built on the silent sacrifices of heroes like him.
• After independence, he started a modest lodging and boarding venture in Mumbai, which he developed into the renowned Adarsh Group of Hotels. This included Adarsh Lodge, Adarsh Hotel, Adarsh Palace, Adarsh Mahal and Adarsh Baug. As a visionary entrepreneur, he created employment opportunities in both Mumbai and Rajasthan, promoting economic growth and improving lives. His commitment to service and excellence earned him loyal clients from diverse communities.
• He channelled his energy and resources towards the upliftment of society, particularly the underprivileged. Whether responding to natural disasters such as floods and droughts or offering support during periods of social unrest, he consistently extended help. He also collaborated actively with Government bodies, including the Municipal Corporation, Police, and the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority.
• Greatly inspired by the ideologies of Bharat Ratna Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Bharat Ratna Lal Bahadur Shastri, he celebrated ‘Shastri Jayanti’ each year at Adarsh Hotel. Recognising his commitment to social welfare, the Government of Maharashtra appointed him Justice of the Peace and Special Executive Magistrate.
• Although he could not pursue formal education, he was a strong advocate of educating the younger generation. To advance this cause, he contributed towards building a hostel in Falna, Rajasthan, offering a safe and encouraging environment for students. He also provided financial assistance to many aspiring learners.
• In 1989, he founded the P. H. Purohit (Rawat Singh) Charitable Trust. Today, the trust continues to operate following his values.
• Text : Referenced from content provided by the Proponent.

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Issued by India

Issued on May 15, 2018

Issued for : The Department of Posts is pleased to issue a Commemorative Postage Stamp on M.V. Arunachalam.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC/Brochure/Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 605200

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Thiru M. V. Arunachalam

Born on 19 Jul, 1929 at Pallathur, Sivagangai district, Tamil Nadu, India

Died on 4 Sep, 1996

About : 

• (Late) Shri M.V. Arunachalam was one of the leading personalities of India, who made his mark in the fields of business and community service, leaving a lasting impression for others to benefit from and to look up to.
• M.V. Arunachalam was born on 19 July 1929 in Pallathur village of Tamil Nadu in a family of Nattukottai Chettiars. His great-grandfather Dewan Bahadur AM Murugappa Chettiar, father Shri AMM Vellayan Chettiar, uncles AMM Murugappa Chettiar and AMM Arunachalam Chettiar inspired young M. V. Arunachalam to follow them into the twin streams of business and community service. He completed his formal education in Madras (later renamed as Chennai), and obtained a B.Sc. (Geology) degree from the Presidency College in 1948.
• M.V. Arunachalam was inducted into the industrial activity of the family, initially into the exports business of which iron ore was a major portion. Gradually he went on to take up additional roles and responsibilities in the Group, guiding each business to make significant contributions to the Indian middle-class and the Indian Economy that was emerging and finding its own shape. Under his stewardship as the Chief Executive Officer, the Murugappa Group grew in size and stature, reaching a turnover of Rs 1800 crores in April 1995. Thanks to his guidance and nurturing of leadership, the Murugappa Group is now one of the largest conglomerates in India, spread over 6 continents and with a turnover of INR 24300 Crores. He also made his mark in a wide variety of institutions, industry bodies and regulatory authorities, leaving a lasting impression on each one of them.
• At different times in his long and distinguished career, M.V. Arunachalam grew the dimensions of the industrial activity of Murugappa Group, and hence its contribution to Indian Economy. He also took up important business positions of Director Carborundum Universal, Chairman TI Diamond Chains Ltd, MD TTI – later CMD, Chairman EID Parry India Ltd, Director Coromandel Fertilisers Ltd and CEO Murugappa Group of Companies.
• His specific contribution to the recovery and successful turnaround of India’s second-oldest company EID Parry (India) Ltd is legendary. The Murugappa Group took over the company in 1981 with Shri M.V. Arunachalam as the Chairman, and within a brief period of three years brought it back not only to the levels of business stability, but also generating dividends. The company recently celebrated its 225^th year of being one of the most significant contributors to India’s sugar industry.
• M.V. Arunachalam served on the Boards of various companies across industry sectors, leaving his indelible mark over their future growth paths. An active player in the proceedings of industry forums and community forums, he rose to be the Head of South India Chamber of Commerce in the year 1964-65. He also headed Madras Management Association in the same year, and served as the Head of Madras Productivity Council. He became the Governor of Rotary Club covering Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Sri Lanka, even before he was 40 years of age.
• As a natural progression, his contributions moved on to the national arena. He was the President of Indian National Committee of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in the early 1970s. He also served as Vice Chairman of Commission on International Trade and Investment Policy, one of the flagship commissions of the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce. M.V. Arunachalam joined the committee of Federation of India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in 1965, and chaired the Golden Jubilee Session in 1976-77.
• He served as the Chairman of Neyveli Lignite Corporation for the period 1969-70, as a Trustee of Unit Trust of India from 1971 to 1976, as Chairman of Madras Fertilizers Limited (1977-78) and Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation (1981-86). He was also a Member of the Board of Reserve Bank of India from 1977 to 1994, possibly a record tenure of 17 years. He also served on the Board of Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI) for a dozen years.
• M.V. Arunachalam was active in the Joint Business Councils (JBCs) which was started in 1966 with the formation of the first India–Japan and Japan–India Business Corporation Committee with FICCI and the Japan Chambers of Commerce and Industry being the respective partners. For his contributions to the development of industrial activity, he was awarded The Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold and Silver Star by the Emperor of Japan in 1996.
• His contributions to the field of education came across in his responsibilities as Chairman of Governing Council of Central Electro-Chemical Research Institute, Karaikudi (1970-72), Member of Governing Body of Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) and Anna University Syndicate at Madras. He has been a member of Executive Committee of Kalakshetra, a leading organization in preservation and promotion of Fine Arts. He also served as Chairman of Madras Kendra of Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan.
• The bright light that was the constant source of energy to industry, community and society at large, went off into the horizon on 04 September 1996. The rich tributes paid by his contemporaries, from across Industry, Government and society at large, bear testimony to the great impact created by him on all.
• Text : Based on the information received from proponent.

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Issued by India

Issued on May 3, 2013

Credits :
Stamp & FDC : Kamleshwar Singh
Cancellation : Nenu Gupta

Type : Miniature Sheet, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paisa

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Tiruchengodu Ramalingam Sundaram

Born on Jul 16, 1907 at Salem, Tamil Nadu, India

Died on Aug 23, 1963 at Salem, Tamil Nadu, India

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Issued by India

Issued on Aug 25, 2011

Issued for : The Department of Posts is happy to issue a commemorative postage stamp on Pt. K. Santanam.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC & Cancellation : Madhu Chawdhary, Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.3 Million

Printing Process : Photogravure

Printer : ISP Nashik Road

Name : Kasturiranga Santhanam

Born on Aug 25, 1885

Died on Aug 30, 1949

About : 

• Pt. K. Santanam was born on 25^th August, 1885 to A. Krishnamachari lyengar who was then the Dewan of Mysore. As both the parents died when he was young, he was sent to his relatives at Kumbakonam (Tamil Nadu) where he completed high school and college studies. He did his post graduation in Economics at Madras Presidency College and won a Gold Medal. On obtaining scholarship he went to England to study law at Kings College, Cambridge and became barrister in 1910. On return, he chose to settle in Lahore and practiced Law at the High Court.
• As a lawyer he took up the defence of those implicated in the aftermath of Jallianwala Bagh massacre. No one was allowed to travel outside Amritsar under the Martial Law then in effect, but Pt. K. Santanam managed to slip out and brought the atrocities perpetrated in Punjab to the notice of the Viceroy’s Executive Council. He assisted Gandhiji in the drafting of the inquiry report.
• After ten eventful years as a lawyer he quit his legal practice following Gandhiji‘s clarion call to boycott the law courts and British Educational Institutions. He took active part in the Non-Cooperation Movement. He was arrested on 2^nd December 1921 along with Lala Lajpat Rai. On being released he taught in the National College set up by Lalaji. He held several important positions in the Congress Committee. He also took part in the Salt Satyagraha Movement.
• In 1924, under Lala Lajpat Rai‘s inspiration he set up the Lakshmi Insurance Company with its Head Office at Lahore. It was a successful venture. The Lakshmi Insurance Company was the Punjab’s second biggest successful venture in the Life Insurance Business as noted in “Life Insurance in India – Its History, Law, Practice and Problems“ by R.M. Ray. Important known surviving buildings of the company still exist in Pakistan.
• Pt. K. Santanam was known for his progressive thoughts. He shunned certain rituals and practices and rejected the caste system. He was a successful lawyer, freedom fighter and an enterprising businessman with foresight.
• He passed away on 30^th August 1949.
• Text : Based on the material provided by the proponent.

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Issued by India

Issued on Dec 1, 2010

Issued for : India Post is happy to honour this visionary Lala Kamlapat Singhania, by issuing a commemorative postage stamp.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC/Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.4 Million

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Kamlapat Singhania 

Born on Nov 7, 1884

Died on May 31, 1937

About : 

• Lala Kamlapat Singhania was born on 7^th November 1884. Endowed with sharp business acumen and foresight, he founded the JK Organization. In June 1920, learning that one cotton textile mill from United Kingdom with 40,000 spindles and 100 looms was available in Mumbai, he bought it and established the JK Cotton Spinning & Weaving Mills Co. Ltd on the Indian soil, which produced ‘Swadeshi’ quality goods from Indian cotton. Taking a cue from the Swadeshi movement of Mahatma Gandhi, between 1921 and 1934 he established several new factories and businesses which firmly contributed to the growth of Indian Industry and awakened the entrepreneurial zeal among the average Indian. His business ventures included the manufacture of such varied goods as cotton yarn & cloth, ice, oil, hosiery, jute, sugar and iron and steel. These institutions became the foundation of the JK Organization. Lala Kamlapat Singhania grew up in an atmosphere of spiritual discipline and patriotic fervor. He was deeply influenced by the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi, Madan Mohan Malviya, Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Motilal Nehru.
  
• He was instrumental in setting up the Merchants Chamber of Commerce in Uttar Pradesh and laid the foundation stone of the Chamber in Kanpur, of which he was the Founder President in the year 1932.
  
• Realizing that only education can liberate the mind and empower the young generation, he established the Marwari College in Kanpur to promote higher education in the region.
  
• Lalaji, as he was affectionately called, had a deep interest in social affairs and affairs connected with the development of the society. He passed away on 31^st May 1937.
  
• Text : Based on material provided by the proponent.

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Issued by India

Issued on Nov 15, 2010

Issued for : India Post is happy to honour Shri Lakshmipat Singhania by issuing a commemorative postage stamp.

Credits :
Stamp/FDC/Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 1.3 Million

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Lakshmipat Singhania

Born on Nov 23, 1910 at Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

Died on Nov 13, 1976

About : 

• Lakshmipat Singhania was born on 23^rd November 1910 in Kanpur to Smt. Ram Pyari Devi and Lala Kamlapat Singhania, the founder of JK Organisations. Lakshmipat Singhania was a visionary and leader. He inherited the legacy of his father. As a young boy he grew up against the background of the freedom struggle as his father was participating in the Swadeshi movement and moving among leaders like Shri Motilal Nehru, Shri Madan Mohan Malviya, and others. He, therefore, naturally absorbed the nationalist fervour. His true vision was to see a vibrant and self-reliant India. He championed the cause of domestic industry and was one of the prime architects of industrial development in India.
• Under his leadership and pioneering zeal, many companies were formed for the first time in the country. Starting with Straw Products Ltd. in Bhopal, he went on to set up, in 1938, a pulp & paper mill producing high quality writing and printing paper at Koraput in Orissa and this is still operating the name of JK Paper Limited. The output of the Steel Baling hoops plant set up in 1940 replaced the imports of the jute industry. In 1944, he produced aluminium from the bauxite available in India and his company went on to produce aluminium sheets, extrusions and foils. He was also instrumental in setting up of industries like JK Tyre, JK Lakshmi Cement Limited, etc. Under his Chairmanship, National Insurance Company had achieved the highest growth rate and became 3^rd largest insurance company of the country with a large network abroad.
• Lakshmipat Singhania was also a humanitarian. He was one of the founders of the All India Heart Foundation. He established a hospital for treating Cardio Vascular diseases. He also built JK Institute of Radiology & Cancer Research and Kamlapat Hospital at Kanpur. He set up JK Institute of Sociology in Lucknow University and JK Institute of Applied Physics in Allahabad University. His contribution to the education sector was substantial. He set up several educational institutions across the country including scores of primary schools in the rural areas.
• He sought to build “a Society which is proud of its past, conscious of the present and full of hope for the future – A society where every citizen would be equally conscious of his rights and responsibilities”. The mantra of his achievements was “It is not only machinery that becomes obsolete: one has to guard against the obsolescence of the mind”. True to his words, he achieved many of his objectives in his life time by giving impetus to industrial growth in India. He passed away on 13^th November 1976.
• Text : Based on material provided by the proponent.

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Issued by India

Issued on Mar 31, 2010

Issued for : India Post is happy to issue a commemorative postage stamp on Pachaiyappa.

Credits :
Stamp, FDC & Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.3 Million

Printing Process : Photogravure

Printer : India Security Press, Nasik

Name : Pachaiyappa Mudaliar

Born on 1754 at Periapalayam, Tamil Nadu, India

Died on Mar 31, 1794 at Thiruvaiyaru, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India

About : 

• Pachaiyappa was born in 1754 in Periapalayam village near Chennai to Shri Visvanatha Mudaliar and Smt Punchi Ammal. His father passed away before his birth. Therefore his mother, after a brief stay at Periapalayam, moved with her children to Chennai in search of livelihood. They settled down at George Town, then called Black Town, where she obtained the help of Shri Narayana Pillai Dubhashi. He evinced interest on the boy Pachaiyappa and put him into the school. The boy picked up sufficient English to become a Dubhashi (Interpreter) which in Hindi meant a bilingual person. Starting often as interpreters, dubhashis were brokers who handled business and commercial matters between their English masters and the Indians at the time.
  
• The situation prevalent in the South India was chaotic. The small princely kingdoms were fighting each other. For the British traders the situation was favourable to firm up their commercial roots in the Indian soil. However, the local language proved to be the main impediment. So they employed local people knowing English for the purpose of carrying on with their trade. Shri Narayana Pillai, Pachaiyappa‘s mentor, was one such person who was a leading Dubhashi of his time.
  
• At a tender age when other boys of his age were attending school, the young Pachaiyappa began his career by becoming a purchasing and selling agent for a wholesale ceramics merchant.
  
• Pachaiyappa‘s business acumen was amazing. He was always honest. This earned him the most coveted honour of being the foremost Dubhashi in the Madras Presidency. From being a Dubhashi to revenue collector, Pachaiyappa tried his hand at various businesses and made a large fortune.
  
• Pachaiyappa was pious and charitable at heart. He gave large donations to temples and built choultries along the old pilgrim route to Rameshwaram. He had special veneration for Lord Nataraja in Chidambaram and gave large quantities of jewellery and huge amounts to this temple. His own house had become a converging point for scholars and pilgrims where he fed thousands daily.
  
• His huge successes and wealth in the business did not make him forget his debt to his mentor Narayana Pillai. He secured a job for Pillai‘s son with one Joseph Sullivan. He made him his agent in Madras and through him all the business payments were made. Further, Narayana Pillai was given the right to manage a part of his large property after his death.
  
• At 40 years he suffered an attack of paralysis. Soon his condition worsened and therefore, he wrote his Will on 22^nd March 1794. In the Will, sufficient funds had been allocated with the direction to perform pujas in selected temples from Kashi to Rameshwaram. He went to Thiruvaiyaru where he passed away on 31 March 1794. Though much was lost due to mismanagement by successive executors of the Will, some amount was redeemed and put to good use in charities and in setting up educational institutions, one of which is Pachaiyappa‘s College.
  
• Text : Based on the material provided by the proponent.

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Issued by India

Issued on Jul 25, 2009

Issued for : India Post is happy to issue a commemorative postage stamp on Lala Ramcharan Agarwal.

Credits :
Stamp, FDC & Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.4 Million

Printing Process : Wet–offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Ram Charan Agarwal

Born on Dec 2, 1919 at Najibabad, Uttar Pradesh, India

Died on Jul 25, 1977

About : 

• Ramcharan Agarwal, who was affectionately called ‘Lalaji‘, was born to a family of freedom fighters on 2^nd December 1917 at Najibabad, Uttar Pradesh. His father Shri Ramchander Mal was a businessman.
• Ramcharan Agarwal was deeply impressed by the ideology and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and became his follower, taking an active part in the freedom struggle. At the early age of 19, he became Treasurer of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee. He was first arrested in 1939 and again went to jail in 1942 and 1945 as a consequence of his activities during the freedom movement. He was one of the eleven persons selected by Mahatma Gandhi from Delhi for individual Satyagrah. Keeping in view his qualities of leadership, team work and social service, he was given a ticket by the Indian National Congress from Maliwara Constituency for Delhi Municipal Committee Elections 1951 and then again in 1954. He won both the elections.
• He won MCD elections in 1958 and was elected the first Deputy Mayor of Delhi along with Smt. Aruna Asaf Ali, who was the first Mayor. He was again elected Deputy Mayor of Delhi in 1961. In the year 1962, he was once again elected to the Municipal Corporation, Delhi. Lalaji was known as the “Little big man” of the Indian National Congress, who worked for the upliftment of the poor.
• Lalaji was a great visionary. His sobriety and sincerity won the esteem and affection of all. He stressed the need for cleanliness of Yamuna River and mooted the proposal to stop sewage flowing into the river. He had the interests of the common man at heart and he was a friend of the poor and the down-trodden. His Night Shelter scheme for the homeless was one of the measures which bore testimony to this. He played an important role in the development of slum enclosures in Old Delhi, giving protection to sellers in pavement bazars. He is still remembered for his contribution towards upliftment of the living standards of the poor and weaker sections of society. In 1966, he was elected to the newly formed Metropolitan Council. He was awarded ‘Tamrapatra‘ by the then President of India, Dr. Fakruddin Ali Ahmed, for his contribution to the freedom movement. Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru was very fond of Lalaji. He especially wrote a letter to him wishing him success in his political career. Smt. Indira Gandhi described Lalaji as a gentleman politician, who always stood for principles. In her words, “Lalaji was a man having a great place in Delhi, holding a strong position in Congress and a very popular name in the freedom movement. He has established a foundation by his character, work and personality.“
• He visited many foreign countries as a member of the Indian delegation, including UK, USA, USSR and Canada. In recognition of his services to the country, the ITO Crossing, in Delhi, has been renamed as ‘Ram Charan Agarwal Chowk’.
• He died on 25^th July 1977. He was a true Gandhian and wore khadi throughout his life. He will always be remembered as a great freedom fighter in Indian history.
• Text : As per the material provided by the proponent.

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Issued by India

Issued on Feb 28, 2009

Issued for : The Department of Posts is happy to issue a commemorative postage stamp on Harakh Chand Nahata.

Credits :
Stamp, FDC & Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.4 Million

Printing Process : Wet–Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Harakh Chand Nahata

Born on Jul 18, 1936 at Bikaner, Rajasthan, India

Died on Feb 21, 1999 at New Delhi, India

About : 

• Harakh Chand Nahata was born on 18^th July, 1936 at Bikaner (Rajasthan) in an illustrious family. His father Shri Bhairudan Nahata was a businessman and soft natured social worker and his mother Durgadevi was a religious woman.
  
• After completing his schooling at Bikaner and during college years in Calcutta, Nahata started his business career. A visionary entrepreneur, who wanted to tread uncharted path, he was the first person, who started road transportation in the difficult and inhospitable terrain of Tripura, Handling the largest Railway Out Agency in Tripura (Tripura Town Out Agency) and establishing a large network of road transport at his own heavy costs and risks, he was instrumental in starting economic development and two way traffic to bring economic gains for the local tribal people and the state of Tripura.
  
• He contributed a lot for the development of cinema in Eastern India through his Technicians Studio, Calcutta, with which many internationally acclaimed directors like Satyajit Ray, Hritwik Ghatak and Basu Bhattacharya etc. were associated. Later, he turned film financier and Realtor and was known as an honest and upright person in trade circles. For his multi-faceted contributions to the trade and industry, he was honoured with awards by the Vice President of India and Lt. Governor of Delhi.
  
• He was a leading social leader and philanthropist, who steadfastly stood and fought for human dignity, equality and respect. Associated with more than 60 socio-religious organisations and Trusts like Heart Care Foundation of India, Prakrit Bharati Academy, Rishabhdev Foundation, Mimjhar, Veerayatan, Rajasthan Bharati, Ahimsa International, Jain Mahasabha, Bharat Jain Mahamandal, Vishwa Jain Parishad and many others in different capacities, he relentlessly endeavoured to attain their cherished goals. From 1990 onwards, he was the President of ‘Akhil Bharatiya Shree Jain Shwetamber Khartargachha Mahasangh‘ – the apex national representative body of thousands of Jains of this sect. As President, he relentlessly fought to safeguard against many injustices and attacks on the rights, dignity and conventions of the Samaj.
  
• Harakh Chand Nahata encouraged many upcoming artists of films and performing arts with his sanguine advice, help and patronage. He was a great connoisseur of art and literature and helped many budding artists, poets and writers. He spotted talents of writers and published many books including a Hindi monthly magazine at his own cost to encourage them. He was a voracious reader with a sharp analytical mind and compassioned heart. He wrote many write-ups on different subjects and was an orator par excellence, who kept the audience spellbound with his thought-provoking dissertations and mastery over the chosen subject.
  
• Though a Jain by birth, he was an embodiment of ‘Sarv Dharma Sambhav‘. Regardless of caste, creed or religion, he respected each and every faith and contributed to various temples and places of worship without any distinction. He was a firm believer that religion is and should be binding force and not a divisive force.
  
• He considered integrity and security of the Nation above religion and culture and stressing this, he used to say that only if the nation is secure, only then religion and culture would be secure.
  
• Compassion, tolerance, equality, dignity and love should be the guiding and contributing spirit in religious affairs and to this end he steadfastly worked at various levels and at different forums.
  
• Living a full and contented life, he breathed his last on 21^st February, 1999 at New Delhi after a brief illness.
• Text : Based on materials provided by the proponent.

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Issued by India

Issued on Nov 16, 2008

Issued for : India Post is happy to issue a commemorative postage stamp on B.N. Reddi.

Credits :
Stamp, FDC & Cancellation : Nenu Gupta

Type : Stamp, Postal Used

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.4 Million

Printing Process : wet–offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

Name : Bommireddy Narasimha Reddy

Born on Dec 2, 1908 at Kothapalli village, Pulivendula municipality, Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh, India

Died on Nov 8, 1977 at Chennai, India

About : 

• Bommireddi Narasimha Reddi, a doyen of Telugu Film industry an Auditor turned producer and Director who believed in Gandhian value and message oriented films. He was born on 16^th November, 1908 at Y. Kothapalli, Cuddapah District, Madras Province. He took to auditing and qualified as a Chartered Accountant. B.N. Reddi wanted to join Shantiniketan, but parental reluctance made him stay in Madras and prepare for Chartered Accountant Examination. He always has a flair for fine arts and in early mid-30’s appeared on stage plays with giants like Ballari Raghava. He was also known as a poet. He set up BNK Printing Press, which was the Modern Press in Asia in 1936 in Chennai.
• B.N. Reddi made his film debut as Associate Financer and as Scenarist by joining Hanumantappa Muniyappa Reddi, the father of Telugu Talkie films and Guru to many leading Directors in forming Rohini Pictures and producing “Gruhalakshmi”, which was a great success (1938). But soon after, he left H.M. Reddi due to the difference as B.N. Reddi did not like H.M. Reddi’s compromise for commercial values and came out to set up “Vauhini Films and Studios” along with stalwarts like K. Ramnath, A.K. Sekhar, Chittoor P. Nagaiah and K.V. Reddy, whom he met at Rohini Pictures.
• The year 1939 was certainly a revolutionary one in Telugu film history. It saw the release of “Vande Mataram” (1939) based on the novel he has written on social problems in the society, which was never published, but it became the foundation for his first film. It was a big hit. His second film took up the issue of child widows “Sumangali” (1940) in the society. In his next film he took up the issue of premarital pregnancy and caused an uproar among the conservatives, but he went ahead amidst opposition and “Devatha” took the world by storm. Even in non-Telugu speaking areas it ran to full houses.
• When he made films on rural unemployment and widow remarriage, people have identified his films as vanguard of new cinematic value. Throughout his three-decade film career he never compromised for the sake of commercialization and opted out of film-making when he found that he did not fit into changing scenario. His Vauhini films were identified with artistic and socially purposeful films. His expensive Vauhini Studios, later merged with Vijaya Studios, was one of its kind in South Asia. His memory is etched deep in the memory of Telugu psyche through his timeless classic “Malliswari” (1951). In 1954 came “Bangaru Papa“, a film based on George Eliot‘s Sailan Mariner, which won international acclaim. Charlie Chaplin who had seen this film in London had said that Eliot would have been the happiest man, if he could see.
• B.N. Reddi has been popular with the audience winning public acclaim. Government of India and State Government recognized his contribution and awarded Padmabhushan in 1974.
• B.N. Reddi won Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1975 becoming first person in Telugu film industry and second person from South India to win this award.
• B.N. Reddi was also a Member of Legislative Council of Andhra Pradesh between 1958 and 1963.
• B.N. Reddi died on 8^th November, 1977 but his legacy lives on.
• Text : As per the material provided by the proponent.

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