Issued by India

Issued on Dec 31, 2002

Issued for : The Department of Posts is happy to issue a commemorative postage stamp on TT Krishnamachari.

Credits :
Stamp : Sankha Samanta
FDC : Binoy Varghese
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint condition

Colour : Four Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Overall size : 2.88 x 3.34 cms.

Printing size : 2.88 x 3.34 cms.

Perforation : 13.5 x 13.5 mm

Paper : Matt Chromo

Stamps Printed : 0.4 million

Number per issue sheet : 48

Printing Process : Photo Offset

Printer : Calcutta Security Printers Ltd.

Name : Tiruvellore Thattai Krishnamachari

Born on 1899 at Chennai, India

Died on 1974

About : 

• Tiruvellore Thattai Krishnamachari (1899-1974), or TTK as he was popularly known, was one among the makers of modern India. He was instrumental in building the basic economic and industrial infrastructure of the country and also left his mark on the Indian Constitution as a member of the Drafting Committee.
• TTK began his life as a businessman and went on to lay the foundation of the hugely successful firm TT Krishnamachari & Co. in 1928, in Chennai. Depending primarily on his sharp intellect and penchant for trying out innovations, the company was well established by the mid-thirties. But, by then, the founder was ready for new challenges – TTK decided that there were issues in the arena of politics that he should turn his attention to. He was initially elected to the Madras Legislative Assembly as an independent member, but later joined the Congress. In 1946 he was made a member of the Constituent Assembly at the Centre.
• After independence, during the years from 1952 to 1965, he served the country as a Central Minister twice. During 1952-1958, he was the first Minister for Commerce and Industry and then Finance Minister. He also remained in-charge of the Steel Ministry for quite some time. He was a Minister again in 1962, first without portfolio, then the Minister for Economic and Defence Cooperation and finally Finance Minister. TTK, both by his experience and outlook, was firm in his recognition of the objectives to be achieved. Firmly result oriented, he could act adopting the practical means most suited to the prevailing circumstances, to achieve them.
• TTK was instrumental in setting up the country’s three major steel plants and financial institutions like IDBI, ICICI and UTI. He introduced path-breaking tax reforms during his stint as Finance Minister. Embarking upon measures needed for providing social security, TTK expanded the pension scheme to cover family members of the deceased government servants by introducing a new Family Pension Scheme in 1964.
• He planned schemes like the Rajasthan Canal Schemes, Dandakaranya and Damodar Valley Projects. The Neyveli Projects owe their existence to the fillip given by TTK.
• He resigned from the post of Minister in 1965 after his term as Lok Sabha member was over and led an intellectually active life till illness overtook him. TTK was also a lover of music and books. He was one among the founders of the Music Academy at Chennai.
• Text : Based on material received from the sponsors.

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Issued by India

Issued on Dec 31, 2002

Issued for : A set of four stamps titled ‘Forts of India’ was issued on 3.8.1984. The Department of Posts now issues a set of two stamps on ‘Forts of Andhra Pradesh’, covering the forts at Golconda and Chandragiri.

Design : The two stamps depict a view of the Golconda fort and a picture of the palace at the Chandragiri fort, respectively.

Credits :
Stamps & FDC : Kamleshwar Singh
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamps, Mint Condition

Colour : Four Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise each

Overall size : 5.25 x 2.62 cms.

Printing size : 4.90 x 2.27 cms.

Perforation : 13.5 x 13.5

Paper : Matt Chromo

Stamps Printed : 3 million each

Number per issue sheet : 27

Printing Process : Photo Offset

Printer : Calcutta Security Printers Ltd.

About : 

• Imposing forts and magnificent palaces can be seen across the length and breadth of India, reminding us of a bygone era of valiant kings and great empires. These forts and palaces are integral parts of the country’s rich cultural and architectural heritage. Most of the forts were built as a defence mechanism to keep the enemy at bay. They also evidence a deep knowledge of town planning and an advanced civic sense, as they were mostly small townships in themselves.
• Golconda fort is a majestic monument, which lies on the western outskirts of Hyderabad city. Hyderabad itself owes its birth to Golconda, the capital of the Qutub Shahi dynasty. The fort is believed to have been built originally by the Yadava rulers of the region and later passed through the domination of different dynasties like the Kakatiyas and Bahmani Sultans. Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah, who set up a new dynasty at Golconda, built the present fortified structure in 1525, and his successors reinforced the fortress over a period of 62 years. Some additions were made by later rulers even after that. The magnificent architecture of the Golconda fort is manifest in its acoustic system, the structural grandeur of the palaces and ingenious water supply system. The ventilation system reveals the brilliant planning of the architects; they are designed to let in a flow of fresh cool breeze, providing respite from the heat of summer. The tombs of the Qutub Shahi kings, built with Islamic architecture lie about 1 km north of the outer wall of Golconda. These graceful structures are surrounded by landscaped gardens, and a number of them have beautifully carved stonework.
• Chandragiri was the former capital of the Vijayanagar Empire. Located at a distance of 12 km from Tirupati in Chittoor district, the fort is said to have been built around AD 1000 by Immadi Narasimha Yadavaraya. The Vijayanagar Kings made additions at a later time. The well-secured fortification is a marvellous feat of construction, with cyclopean walls buttressed with the typical bastions at regular intervals and pierced with gateways and zig-zag entrances. The Vijayanagar Empire lasted for about 230 years. After its fall the last of the Vijayanagar kings shifted to Chandragiri. The palace at Chandragiri comprising the ‘Raja Mahal’ and ‘Rani Mahal’ was built in the early seventeenth century. The Raja Mahal consists of a Durbar Hall and a double-storeyed colonnade. Built in the Vijayanagar style of architecture, it has a number of ‘gopurams’, the largest one being over the Durbar Hall. A number of temples dot the fort that covers an area of about 25 acres. The modern town of Chandragiri lies to the east of the hill on which the fort stands.
• Text : Based on material furnished by the sponsors.

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Issued by India

Issued on Dec 28, 2002

Issued for : The Department of Posts is happy to issue a commemorative postage stamp on Dhirubhai Ambani: the man and his vision.

Design : The First Day Cover illustrates some of the major milestones in Dhirubhai H. Ambani‘s journey to realise his dreams.

Credits :
Stamps & FDC : Sankha Samanta (Photograph: Harsh Man Rai)
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Postal Used

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Overall size : 2.90 x 3.90 cms.

Printing Size : 2.90 x 3.90 cms.

Perforation : 13 x 13

Paper : Imported un w/m Adhesive Gravure Coated Stamp Paper in Sheets 50.8 x 53.5 cms.

Print Quantity : 3.8 Millions

Number of Stamps per sheet : 16

Printing Process : Photogravure

Printer : India Security Press, Nashik

Name : Dhirajlal Hirachand (Dhirubhai) Ambani

Born on Dec 28, 1932 at Chorvad, Junagadh district, Gujarat, India

Died on Jul 6, 2002 at Mumbai, India

About : 

• Dhirubhai H. Ambani (1932-2002), industrialist and corporate icon, played an important role in the country’s quest for economic growth and regeneration. Rising from humble beginnings he went on to build India’s largest business conglomerate through the brilliance of his entrepreneurial genius and sheer hard work.
  
• Born in Chorwad village in interior Gujarat as the son of a school teacher, Ambani’s early life was full of struggles. He left studies after completing matriculation and joined his brother in Yemen at the age of 17, in search of opportunities. Starting as a petrol station attendant in Aden, he rose through hard work and settled down to a happy life with a comfortable job in one of the affiliate companies of the multinational, Burmah Shell. The eight years he lived and worked in Aden was a formative period for Ambani. He keenly observed the working of Burmah Shell, his fertile mind soaking up their ethos, efficiency and scale of operations. His entrepreneurial dreams began to take shape, and finally he put foundations under his dreams when he decided to start a business of his own in India.
  
• Returning to India, he invested his courage, convictions and the savings of a few thousand rupees to start a business of exporting spices and nuts in 1958. Ambani was constantly scanning the markets with his questing intellect to gauge the emerging trends. In the sixties he entered the textile business. Buying plants and equipping them with the latest spinning and weaving machines, he soon established his company, Reliance Industries, as a force to reckon with in the textile industry.
  
• One among the greatest contributions of Ambani was the way he generated an equity cult in India. Starting with the initial public offering of Reliance Industries in 1977, he attracted a large number of retail investors to the stock market with issue after issue. The trust that he earned from millions of shareholders, employees and customers was crucial to the phenomenal growth of Reliance Industries from a small time business firm in 1977 to one of the world leaders within two decades. Analysts have often marvelled at four exceptional qualities of Dhirubhai Ambani which made his incredible success possible: the spirit of self-reliance, speed, size and scale of operations and ability sell products by leading the market. In business, he adopted a strategy that could never fail – that of producing goods of high quality and selling them at the cheapest possible price.
  
• With interests in oil and gas exploration and production, oil refining, petrochemicals and power, and with upcoming investments in emerging sectors like telecom, the Reliance group is today on the threshold of fulfilling the vision of its founder, of being a globally competitive manufacturer-exporter that the country could take pride in.
  
• Text : Based on material furnished by the sponsors.

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Issued by India

Issued on Dec 24, 2002

Issued for : The Department of Posts is happy to issue a commemorative postage stamp to mark the centenary of the Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya.

Design : The stamp shows the ‘Ved Mandir’ at the institution superimposed with an image that brings back memories of the gurukulas of yore.

Credits :
Stamp & FDC : Kamleshwar Singh
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Four Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Overall Size : 2.90 x 3.91 cms.

Printing Size : 2.90 x 3.91 cms.

Perforation : 13.5 x 13.5 mm with elliptical hole on each 3.91 cms. sides

Paper : Matt Chromo

Stamps Printed : 0.8 million

Number per issue sheet : 40

Printing Process : Photo Offset

Printer : Calcutta Security Printers Ltd.

About : 

• Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, a deemed University affiliated to the University Grants Commission, is a unique educational institution that propagates the virtues of disciplined life, truthfulness, nobility of character, service to humanity and respect for all forms of life.
• The Vishwavidyalaya (University) draws its intellectual sustenance from the teachings of Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati, the great socio-religious reformer of the 19^th century, who emphasized the importance of quality education and exhorted that the society is duty-bound to provide appropriate education to its children. Swami Shradhanand, an immediate disciple of the Maharishi who was inspired by his ideas, paved the way for the Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya by establishing the first gurukula of the modern age in 1902 at Kangri village near Hardwar.
• Gurukulas are schools in the ancient tradition of Indian learning where the students seek knowledge and skills from their Guru (teacher), usually set up at idyllic locations away from the bustle of human conglomerations, creating an environment that helps to concentrate on learning and to develop both body and soul. An austere way of life is practiced and all the students are treated equally, irrespective of status, caste or creed. The relationship of a father and son is envisaged for the teacher and the taught. As the teacher inspires his pupils by the example of his own conduct and behaviour, there is great emphasis on his character and accomplishments. The education also inculcates in the students the values contained in ancient texts like the Vedas and Upanishads.
  
• Over the last hundred years of existence the Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya has produced a large number of scholars, legislators, parliamentarians, historians and educationists, its alumni having left a mark in virtually every walk of life. During the freedom struggle the institution played a key role in nationalist activities. It has also been a centre of inspiration for various movements of social reformation.
  
• Today the Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya imparts education in a wide variety of subjects ranging from Vedas, Culture, Darshans, Yoga, Upanishads, Psychology, Sociology and Archaeology to Computers, Management, Science, Environment and Engineering.
  
• Text : P.N. Ranjit Kumar (Based on material furnished by the sponsors).

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Issued by India

Issued on Dec 23, 2002

Issued for : The Department of Post is happy to issue a postage stamp on the Anglo Bengali Inter College, Allahabad.

Credits :
Stamp : Monika Khanna Gulati
FDC & Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Five Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Overall size : 2.90 x 3.91 cms.

Printing Size : 2.70 x 3.50 cms.

Perforation : 13.5 x 13.5 mm with elliptical hole on each 3.91 cms. sides

Paper : Matt Chromo

Stamps Printed : 0.8 million

Number per issue sheet : 40

Printing Process : Photo Offset

Printer : Calcutta Security Printers Ltd.

About : 

• Born in the second half of the 19^th century out of the need felt by the numerically small Bengali-speaking community of Allahabad to provide such education to their children that would acquaint them with their mother tongue and its literature and culture, the Anglo Bengali Inter College, Allahabad has since evolved into a cosmopolitan institution with a nationalist outlook.
• The Bengal Educational Society formed largely due to the efforts of Sital Prasad Gupta and Madhu Sudan Moitra in 1875 had initially set up a Bengali School. This modest primary school with just one teacher and a handful of students had a steady growth from then on. With the introduction of English teaching, the school was renamed Anglo Bengali School. It went on to acquire the names Anglo Bengali High School and Anglo Bengali Inter College with successive phases of growth. In 1887, the School was affiliated to the Calcutta University. The institution’s own building at the present site was constructed in 1894 and the recognition of the Board of High School and Intermediate Education, U.P. came in 1926.
• The College was known for its nationalist sentiments during the freedom movement and its students took active part in the struggle against colonialism. The British authorities had even suspended the grants to the institution at one time, as a mark of their displeasure. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose who had visited Allahabad in 1939 was accorded a rousing reception in the College.
• Since Independence, the Anglo Bengali Inter College has remained a premier educational institution of the State and its students have figured frequently in the merit list of the U.P. Board. Its alumni have gone on to make notable contributions in various spheres of national life.
• Text : Based on material furnished by the sponsors.

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Issued by India

Issued on Dec 17, 2002

Issued for : The Department of Posts is happy to honour Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee and Matangini Hazra with the issue of these commemorative postage stamps, in a setenant.

Design : The design, apart from portraits of the personalities, also carries images of the struggle and a picture of ‘Biplabi’, the newspaper published by the revolutionaries of Tamluk.

The First Day Cover depicts ‘Biplabi‘, the official News Letter of Tamralipta Jatiya Sarkar, of 26^th January 1943, announcing the beginning of the Jatiya Sarkar’s administrative role.

Credits :
Stamps : Sankha Samanta
FDC : Binoy Verghese
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : First Day Cover

Colour : Multicolour

Denomination : 500 & 500 Paise

Overall size : 7.82 x 2.90 cms.

Printing size :  7.82 x 2.90 cms.

Perforation : 13 x 13

Paper : Imported un w/m adhesive gravure coated stamp paper in sheets 50.8 x 53.5 cms. 

Print quantity : 0.8 million

Number of stamps per sheet : 14 Setenant

Printing Process : Photogravure

Printer : India Security Press, Nashik

Name : Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee

Born on Apr 15, 1901 at Tamluk, Bengal Presidency, British India [now Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal]

Died on May 27, 1986 at Calcutta, India

Name : Matangini Hazra

Born on Oct 19, 1870 at Tamluk, Bengal Presidency, British India

Died on Sep 29, 1942 at Tamluk, Bengal Presidency, British India

About : 

• The ‘Quit India’ Movement of 1942 was a watershed in India’s struggle for freedom. It was this movement that proclaimed in unambiguous terms that foreign domination could no longer hold sway on Indian soil. Though the struggle was suppressed, this could be done only after it became clear that the British Government would have to relinquish control over India sooner than later.
• An unique feature of the ‘Quit India’ Movement was the series of independent governments formed locally in some parts of the country, like Satara in Maharashtra, Ballia in Uttar Pradesh and Tamluk in West Bengal. Among these, the ‘Tamralipta Jatiya Sarkar’ (National Government) of Tamluk was really innovative since it set up Police Stations, Military Departments, Courts and even a system for revenue collection. The Sarkar which emerged on 17^th December 1942 lasted for 21 months.
• Tamluk in Midnapur District of West Bengal had always been a centre of the freedom movement. The restive feeling of the local populace was already at a crescendo when Mahatma Gandhi gave the call of ‘Do or Die’ to mark the beginning of the ‘Quit India’ Movement in August 1942. In the uprising in Tamluk, various police stations were captured by the people and all the institutions of the colonial government were rendered ineffective. Those who played important roles in the struggle included Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee and Matangini Hazra, among others. The Sarkar continued to function till August 1944, when taking note of the changed circumstances, Mahatma Gandhi advised to wind up its activities.
• Ajoy Kumar Mukherjee was a selfless leader who devoted the early part of his life to the cause of freedom of India, and was one of the main architects of the Tamralipta Jatiya Sarkar. In post-independence India, he continued to fight for the cause of downtrodden people. He had a glorious record of electoral success in the elections to the State Assembly, which he served without interruption for nearly three decades. He was the Chief Minister of West Bengal on three occasions.
• Matangini Hazra was widowed early in life, but continued to lead life in a courageous manner. The freedom struggle and the ideals of Mahatmaji inspired her. She was an active participant of the ‘Quit India’ Movement in Tamluk, at the ripe age of 73. On 29^th September 1942, she took the lead in long procession in Tamluk and advanced firmly with the national flag in her hands. A shower of bullets from the heavily armed forces of the colonial government felled her, but the national flag was flying unsullied.
• Text : Based on material furnished by the sponsors.

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Issued by India

Issued on Dec 1, 2002

Issued for : The Department of Posts is happy to issue a commemorative postage stamp in honour of Santidev Ghose.

Credits :
Stamp : Sankha Samanta
FDC : Rabindra Choudhary
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Postal Used

Colour : Four Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Overall size : 28.8 x 33.4 mms.

Printing size :  28.8 x 33.4 mms.

Perforation : 13.5 x 13.5

Paper : Matt Chromo

Print Quantity : 0.4 million

Number of stamps per sheet : 48

Printing Process : Photo Offset

Printer : Calcutta Security Printers Ltd.

Name : Santidev Ghosh

Born on May 7, 1910 at Bajapti, Chandpur district, Chittagong division, Bangladesh

Died on Dec 1, 1999 at Kolkata, India

About :

• Santidev Ghose (1910-1999), doyen of Rabindrasangeet and Dance, was a towering figure in the cultural life of West Bengal, and also a teacher, scholar and writer.
• Born at Chandpur (presently in Bangladesh), Santidev came to Santiniketan with his parents when he was only a baby of six months. He attended school at Santiniketan and showed a preference for the performing arts at an early age. Gurudev Tagore who was in favour of giving due importance to the Arts in school curriculum took the promising young pupil under his wings. Santidev travelled with Rabindranath to different parts of India and Sri Lanka as part of his performing troupe.
• Santidev Ghose joined the Sangeet Bhavana at the Visva-Bharati as a teacher in 1930. He served twice as Principal of the institution. Before Tagore’s death in 1941 he entrusted Santidev with the task of propagating his music in its pure form. Throughout his career Santidev held this as a sacred trust. As a part of this assignment he wrote many books in Bengali on Rabindrasangeet and Dance, and related subjects, several of them are widely used as text books. Among his important titles are: ‘Rabindra Sangeet’, ‘Java o Balir Nritya Geet’ (Music and Dance in Java and Bali) and ‘Rabindranather Purnanga Sikshadarshey Sangeet o Nritya’ (Music and Dance in Rabindranath’s ideal of a well-rounded education).
• Santidev Ghose received many awards and honours in his lifetime. Foremost among them were the Padma Bhushan (1988), a special Russian Medal (1961), Fellowship of the Sangeet Natak Akademi (1976), Desikottama (D.Litt. Honoris Cause) (1988) and Rabindra Tattvacharya from Tagore Research Institute, Kolkata.
• More than any other accomplishment, Santidev Ghose brought Rabindrasangeet and Dance closer to the people without any loss of its purity. At the same time, he helped bring about a resurgence in the folk arts of Bengal, a resurgence of Bali and Fakir songs, of Chhau dance and the Alkap theatre. He also promoted a fusion of the folk and urban streams to some extent.
• Text : Based on material furnished by the sponsors.

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Issued by India

Issued on Nov 14, 2002

Issued for : The Department of Posts, on its part, has cherished the Universal Children’s Day and has been celebrating the same with the issue of a special postage stamp every year. Over the years, the stamps have highlighted themes of relevance for the growth and well-being of children, like nutrition, shelter, educational facilities, empowerment of the girl child etc. In recent years, the practice of issuing stamps depicting paintings by children themselves has been followed. Children’s art makes fascinating study on account of their innocence, richness of imagination and freedom of execution. The Children’s Day stamps, therefore, also provide insights into the minds of the younger generation, into issues that are of concern to them. The Department has also been adding colour to the private world of children through the postage stamps which it issues on important subjects. As a hobby that starts in childhood, stamp collecting makes children more aware about what is happening in the world around them and helps them to grow in life.

Design : The stamp being issued this year carries a detail from a painting by Aakash Anand, which captures the spirit of Holi, India‘s most colourful festival. Holi celebrates the arrival of spring and is symbolic of the victory of good over evil. It is also a celebration of joy and hope. The artist has re-created the mood of vibrant joy, through images of dance, music and festivities. The colours used are bright and the execution is bold. The painting had stood first in the nation-wide Stamp Design Competition held in October 2002.

The First Day Cover is based on another award winning entry of the Stamp Design Competition, which was done by Debahuti Hazarika.

Credits :
Stamp : Akash Anand
FDC : Debahuti Hazarika
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multicolour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Overall size : 4.06 X 4.70 cms.

Printing size : 3.71 X 4.35 cms.

Perforation : 13 x 13

Paper : Imported un w/m adhesive gravure coated stamp paper in sheets 50.8 x 53.5 cms.

Print quantity : 0.125 million Sheetlets

Number of stamps per sheetlet : 12

Printing Process : Photogravure

Printer : India Security Press, Nashik

About : 

• India‘s commitment to the cause and well-being of its children is enshrined in its Constitution. The country has upheld its social and moral responsibility towards the needs and rights of the children. The successive Five Year Plans have enabled a planned approach to child welfare, which blossomed into the National Policy for Children in 1974, laying down the guiding principles for action this area.
• Text : Based on material furnished by the sponsors.

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Issued by India

Issued on Nov 11, 2002

Issued for : Nagpur, the small settlement started in 1702 by Bakht Buland Shah by integrating twelve nondescript hamlets of Rajapur–Barsa, is today a sprawling urban centre with a population of 2.2 million. It is an important commercial and industrial centre and ranks among the 15 largest cities of India. The Department of Posts joins the tercentenary celebrations of Nagpur with the issue of a commemorative stamp.

Design : The design of the stamp, while depicting two landmarks of Nagpur, namely, the Vidhan Bhavan and the Samadhi of Raghuji Bhonsle, also elaborates on the theme of “The Orange City of India“ by which epithet it is widely known. The stamps are brought out in the form of a sheetlet, which also carries a portrait (an artist’s impression) of Bakht Buland. A collage of images relating to the city features on the First Day Cover.

Credits :
Stamp & FDC : Kamleshwar Singh
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multicolour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Overall size : 5.25 x 2.60 cms.

Printing size : 5.25 x 2.50 cms.

Perforation : 13 x 13

Paper : Imported un w/m adhesive gravure coated stamp paper in sheets 50.8 x 53.5 cms.

Print quantity : 0.1 million Sheetlets

Number of stamps per sheetlet : 12

Printing Process : Photogravure

Printer : India Security Press, Nashik

About : 

• The Indian city had developed an identity of its own at the time of the Indus Valley Civilization itself, viz. as early as circa 2500 B.C. Subsequently, in the texts belonging to the period of advent of the Aryans, the city has been exalted as nagara, the location of civilised life. Indian cities responded with considerable resilience to survive many a phase of political flux in the middle ages. Later, in the Mughal and post-Mughal periods, cities came to perform the additional role of asserting and maintaining the power and legitimacy of regimes. It was for this reason that many rulers felt the need to found new cities around them.
• The civilised life of the city of Delhi had inspired Bhakt Buland, the Gond King of Deogarh to start building his new capital at Nagpur. His successor Chand Sultan continued the work of town building on an expanded scale. The Bhonsalas who took over as rulers in 1742 left their mark on Nagpur in terms of promotion of agriculture and industry and patronage to literary, cultural and religious activities. Development of the city took a different turn after it fell into the hands of the British in the mid-nineteenth century. The disruptive impact of colonial rule was felt most on the organic evolution of the city and its socio-economic profile. The city was reduced to a centre for bulking of agricultural and forest produce and pumping in of imported merchandise into the hinterlands. Nagpur was made the capital of Central Province & Berar, for geo-strategic reasons. No doubt the pitchforking of the city into the world-wide network of colonial economy through the new road and rail links helped it to overcome the intrinsic limitations of autonomous growth, but this came about at a huge cost, namely the fragmentation of its social, cultural and architectural environment.
• It the post-independence era, Nagpur was included in Maharashtra after re-organisation of states, with the status of the second capital of the state. In the last fifty years, it has been one of the fastest growing cities of India. The rapid increase of population has brought with it the attendant strains on infrastructure and ecology. These problems are being addressed through the concerted efforts of various government agencies and some concerned citizens.
• The industrial base of Nagpur is today a diversified one, covering ferromanganese products, other metal goods, cotton processing and ginning and paint industries. The city is located in the country’s geographical centre and has excellent connectivity through road, rail and air. Nagpur has done well in managing its environment and is one among the greenest cities of India. The city boasts of a cosmopolitan populace and with its rich blend of tradition and modernity, is truly a representative urban centre of India.
• Text : Based on material furnished by the sponsors.

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