Khudiram Bose
A commemorative postage stamp on the 82nd Death Anniversary of Shaheed Khudiram Basu, a Bengali-Indian revolutionary :
Issued by India
Issued on Aug 11, 1990
Description of Design : The stamp is designed by India Security Press, Nashik. Cancellation is designed by Alka Sharma. The pencil sketch on the First day cover is based on art work provided by Chintamani Kar. Inset is designed by Sankh Samant.
Type : Stamp, Mint Condition
Colour : Multicolour
Denomination : 100 Paise
Overall size : 3.91 x 2.90 cms.
Printing size : 3.55 x 2.54 cms.
Perforation : 13 x 13
Paper : Indigenous Un W/M Gravure Coated and Gummed Stamp Paper
Number Printed : 10,00,000
Number per issue sheet : 35
Printing Process : Photogravure Process
Printed : India Security Press
Name : Khudiram Boshu
Born on Dec 3, 1889 at Habibpur, Midnapur, West Bengal, India
Died on Aug 11, 1908 at Kolkata, West Bengal, India
About :
- Khudiram Bose is hailed as the first martyr of organised revolutionary movement for India’s freedom. He has become a legend on account of his fearlessness and valiant defiance of death.
- Khudiram Bose was born on 3.12.1889 in Habibpur village of Midnapur district in Bengal. He had lost his parents at a very early age and was brought up by his elder sister. He joined the movement for the country’s liberation after the partition of Bengal, in 1905. He started his revolutionary activities under Satyen Bose. He was first arrested in February 1906 but escaped from the police custody. He subsequently participated in the incident of looting of mail bags at Hatgacha in 1907 and in the bomb attack on Governor’s special train in December 1907. He was known in revolutionary circles of Midnapur as a courageous and capable organiser.
- Kingsford, the Chief Presidency Magistrate of Calcutta had made himself thoroughly unpopular by his harsh methods of suppressing the national movement. It was decided by the revolutionaries to eliminate/liquidate him and this task was assigned to Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki. Kingsford had, meanwhile, been transferred to Muzaffarpur as Sessions Judge. On 13 April, 1908, Khudiram assisted by Prafulla Chaki threw a bomb at the carriage supposed to be carrying Kingsford. Unfortunately, instead of Kingsford, two ladies who were travelling in that carriage were killed.
- Prafulla Chaki was apprehended by the police but he shot himself dead. Khudiram was arrested a day later. He fearlessly told the police that he had thrown the bomb to punish Kingsford. He was sentenced to death and hanged on 11 August, 1908. In Muzaffarpur Jail, the Magistrate who had ordered his execution subsequently remarked that Khudiram “moved to gallows like a defiant lions cub.“ The martyrdom of Khudiram at the age of 19, led to a surge of patriotic awakening all over the country. Songs were composed glorifying his contribution and his sacrifice passed into folk lore. Even today the soul stirring songs composed in his honour are sung by Bengali folk-singers.
- Text : Courtesy Prof. Samar Guha, Dictionary of National Biography.
[…] of Eastern Bengal and Assam. However, the plan did not materialize. Again, Prafulla, along with Khudiram Bose was chosen for murdering Kingsford, the Calcutta Presidency Magistrate, and later, magistrate of […]