A commemorative postage stamp on AB Walawalkar, an Indian Railway engineer and founder of Konkan Railway [a part of the series ‘India’s March towards Progress and Development‘] :

Issued by India

Issued on Oct 9, 1999

Issued for : The Indian nationalist movement had asserted the right of the Indian people to shape their own destiny. The Constitution which came in force on 26^th January 1950, was designed to be an instrument of India’s social and economic transformation. A nascent nation embarked on its march towards progress and socio-economic development. Leaders with foresight and a desire to improve the lot of the common people played crucial roles in different regions in the country’s achievements. The Department of Posts issues a set of four stamps in tribute to four visionaries of modern India, namely Dr. T.M.A. Pai, A.D. Shroff, A.B. Walawalkar and Chhaganlal K. Parekh, who have in their various ways contributed to India’s march towards progress and development.

Credits :
Stamp : Anil Keshav Mithbavkar
FDC : Sculpture at Sardar Patel Marg, New Delhi
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 300 Paise

Overall size : 3.91 x 2.90 cms.

Printing size : 3.55 x 2.54 cms.

Perforation : 13 x 13

Paper : Imported unwatermarked Adhesive Gravure Coated Stamp Paper in Sheets 50.8 x 53.5 cms.

Stamps Printed : 0.4 Million

Number per issue sheet : 35

Printing Process : Photogravure

Printer : India Security Press, Nashik

Name : Arjun Balwant Walawalkar

Born on Dec 27, 1897 at Walawal, Kudal, Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra, India

Died on Dec 23, 1970

About : 

• A. B. Walawalkar (1897-1970) was a visionary who made original contribution to the development of Rail Transportation in India. Hailing from a humble background from the Sindhudurg District of Maharashtra, he started his career in the Drawing Department of the Railways in Mumbai. During his thirty two years of service in the Railways, he undertook many significant projects to widen the railway network of Mumbai as well as to develop this network as the lifeline of cosmopolitan Mumbai. However, his crowning glory was the “Konkan Railway Project” which was conceived and propagated as a concept by him. His dream project was to connect Mumbai with its vast hinterland south of Pune which would serve the economic development of the entire west coast. Walawalkar’s dream has now become a reality and he is fondly remembered as the “Father of Konkan Railway”.
  
• Text : Based on material furnished by the sponsors.

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