A commemorative postage stamp on Ramaswamy Venkataraman, 8^th President of India (1987-92) :

Issued by India

Issued on Apr 18, 2012

Issued for : The Department of Posts is privileged to issue a postage stamp to commemorate R. Venkataraman, a distinguished son of India who contributed to the country’s emergence as an admired democracy in the modern world.

Credits :
Stamp / FDC : Sankha Samant
Cancellation : Alka Sharma

Type : Stamp, Mint condition

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 0.3 Million

Printing Process : Photogravure

Printer : India Security Press, Nashik

Name : Ramaswamy Venkataraman

Born on Dec 4, 1910 at Rajamadam, Pattukkottai taluk, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India

Died on Jan 27, 2009 at Delhi, India

About : 

• R. Venkataraman (1910-2009) occupied the august office of the President of India during 1987-1992, a period considered to have been a testing phase for the Indian democracy. He provided the country astute constitutional leadership during those years of uneven political tidings.
  
• Born on 4^th December, 1910 in Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu, the young R. Venkataraman (popularly known as RV) grew up in a traditional environment rooted in moral values. He was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership of the freedom struggle.
  
• R. Venkataraman’s parliamentary career began in 1950, in an era of idealism and patriotic fervour. A persuasive debater, the spark in him was recognized by Prime Minister Nehru. Even the Opposition held him in high regard for his deep understanding of issues and his constructive approach to problems. He made his ministerial debut in his home state in 1957 under the charismatic K. Kamaraj. In Tamil Nadu he came to be known as the ‘Father of Industrialization’ for taking that agrarian state to a position of prominence in India’s industrial map.
  
• A man of vision, RV could sight the ascent of economics in international politics much before it came to be recognized as a global phenomenon. With his pragmatic economic insights, he steered the nation through difficult times as its Finance Minister from 1980-82. His unstinted support for cutting-edge technology as Defence Minister (1982-84) won him appreciation from the Armed Forces as well as the scientist’s community.
  
• His contributions in the international arena were also significant. Making debut in the United Nations in the 1950s as Pandit Nehru’s chosen representative, his work over the next three decades added to India’s reputation and influence. His tenure as President of the U.N. Administrative Tribunal was noteworthy.
  
• After serving as Vice President of India from 1984 to 1987, he was elected the Eighth President of India in 1987. That he had the opportunity to work with four Prime Ministers marks the uniqueness and highlights the challenges of his Presidency. A ‘copybook President’, he was true to the Constitution of India at all times. He displayed rare acumen and statecraft to steer the country along the path of political stability, even as situations never seen earlier by the Indian democracy arose one after the other. Drawing upon his vast reservoir of experience in politics and administration, he displayed fine judgement and sagacity in handling sensitive issues. He once said “The office of the President is like an emergency light. It comes on automatically when there is a crisis and goes off automatically when the crisis passes”.
  
• RV was a patron of arts, a nature-lover, and a humanist supporting worthy causes. An unassuming simplicity, uncompromising work ethics, a sharp intellect and an intense love for his country were among the defining aspects of his personality.
  
• Text : P.N. Ranjit Kumar (Based on material furnished by the proponents).

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