Indian National Congress (INC), a voice of Indian opinion to the British government, held its first session on 28th December, 1885.

From its foundation on 28th December 1885 until the time of independence of India on 15 August 1947, the Indian National Congress (INC) was considered to be the largest and most prominent Indian public organization, and central and defining influence of the Indian Independence Movement.

The First Session of INC

Founded upon the authority of British civil servant Allan Octavian Hume, the Congress was created to form a platform for civic and political dialogue of educated Indians with the British Raj and met each December. The first meeting was scheduled to be held in Poona, but due to a cholera outbreak it was shifted to Bombay.

Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee was the first president of the Congress; the first session was held from 28–31 December 1885, and was attended by 72 delegates.

Leaders and Campaigns

The Congress, over the years, included a number of prominent political figures like Dadabhai Naoroji, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Mohandas KaramChand Gandhi, Mohitlal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mohammed Ali Jinnah and many more.

Gandhi became president of Congress after he returned from South Africa in 1915. He used civil disobedience or satyagraha to oppose the British Raj. Under the presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru, complete independence became the party's goal and 26th January 1930 was declared as "Purna Swaraj Diwas" - Independence Day. Subhas Chandra Bose was the president of the Congress during 1938–39.

Even after Independence, the INC remained a prominent political party in India. Prime Ministers like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi belonged to the Indian National Congress

100 Years of INC

To commemorate the centenary of the INC, the Department of Posts, India released a stamp on December 28, 1985. The postal release was a composite of 4 stamps showing the portraits of 60 former Congress Presidents and Allan Octavian Hume, the founder of the INC.