2016-11-21 Mon

What then is freedom? The power to live as one wishes. - Marcus Tullius Cicero

On 3rd June 1947, Britain announced to renounce its dominion over India. After ruling for almost two hundred years British liberate India in 15th August 1947 and to celebrate this event India Post issued a postage stamp on 21st November 1947.

To celebrate and mark this event India Post decided to issues three postage stamps to commemorate the Independence Day of India. However, the Indian security press at Nasik was busy overprinting stamp and notes of British India with ‘PAKISTAN’ over it to be used by the new state under the order from Viceroy’s partition council.

So this stamp could not be released on 15th August 1947 and the produced an alternative in form of a special postmark. Hence, the First postage stamp to commemorate the Independence of Indian was delivered by Nasik press in November 1947.

This three and half Anna stamp was placed on office all over India. This stamp depicts new Tri-colour Indian national Flag with Emperor Asoka’s Dharma Chakra in blue in the centre of a horizontal band in white and saffron bad at top and bronze green band at the bottom. Inscription in Devanagri at the top corner reads “Jai Hind” with date “15 AUG.1947”,”POSTAGE” “INDIA” and the value “3 1/2 As.” in English.

But Indian state was still using the effigy of King George VI in large quantity. However, with two other stamps released by the end of the year 1947, the new Era of Independent India Post was started!