Born at Calcutta on 6 July, 1901, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee inherited a rich tradition of erudite scholarship, fervent nationalism and fearlessness from his illustrious father, Sir Asutosh Mookerjee.

Syama Prasad had a brilliant  academic record. Though called  to the Bar  in  1927 from Lincoln's  Inn, he never practised law. He became the youngest Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University in 1934 and continued  till  1938. Calcutta University conferred on him D.L itt. and Banaras Hindu  University  LL.D. in the year 1938.

He began his political career in 1929 when he was elected to the Bengal Legislative  Council.  He  became acting President of the All India Hindu  Mahasabha in  1939 and the Finance Minister of Bengal in 1941. Even while a Member of the Government, he actively opposed the British Government when the Congress leaders were arrested. In 1942, he resigned from the Bengal Ministry as a protest against the British  Government policy.

The Bengal famine of 1943 brought the humanitarian in Syama Prasad to the forefront and he organised relief work on a massive scale.

He was against the partition of India but when that became inevitable, he was largely instrumental in retaining parts of Bengal and Punjab in the country.

On the invitation of Mahatma Gandhi, Syama Prasad joined the first national Government in August, 1947. He disagreed with the policy of the Government towards Pakistan as indicated by the Nehru-Liaqat Pact of 1950 and resigned from the Central Cabinet in April of that year.

After the attainment of Independence, he did not favour the Hindu Mahasabha to continue in politics but when his views were not accepted, he resigned from the Executive  of that party.   In October,  1951, he  organised a new political party, the Bhartiya Jana Sangh, and became its founder President. The rest of his life was spent in actively building up this party.

Syama Prasad Mookerjee championed the cause of integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India. He was arrested in Srinagar and died on 23rd June, 1953, while in custody. His funeral in Calcutta saw an outburst of feeling, which was unusual even for that great metropolis.

A pure and manly life was the ideal Dr. Syama Prasad set before himself and he lived up to it. He was a nationalist to the core of his heart. 'Country comes first' was his watchword, and he died a martyr for the cause of the country. His death created a void in the public life of the nation as a whole and of West Bengal in particular, which is hard to fill. His services were lost to the country at a time when they were most essentially required. He was one of the few persons who could have given a lead to the intelligentsia of West Bengal in the difficult situation arising out of partition. However, his legacy will ever be fresh and will guide the political, cultural and educational activities of the nation for many years to come.

The Posts and Telegraphs Department feels privileged to issue a commemorative stamp in honour of this great son of India.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India