Indira Gandhi was born on 19th November, 1917 in Allahabad. She was named Indira Priyadarshini "She who one loves to look upon". In a letter  to Jawaharlal Nehru on  the occasion,  Sarojini Naidu wrote : "This child  will  be  the new soul of India". Indira Priyadarshini had her early education in Vishwa Bharati, Shantiniketan and Switzerland. Later she joined Sommerville College at Oxford, England.

Young Indira was actively involved in the  country's freedom struggle from a very early age. She founded the 'Bal­charkha Sangh' and  in 1930, the  'Vanar Sena'  of  children  to  help  the  Congress party  during  the  non-cooperation  movement. Her  father  Jawaharlal  Nehru  influenced  her  deeply. To  her,  he was  a companion, a teacher  and  a  colleague. His letters from the prison  'Letters from a father to a daughter' and also 'Glimpses of World History imparted to her   a sense of  history and heritage and a global view of the world, a view that found expression as she matured,  in her perceptions and actions. Indira was   married to  Feroze Gandhi,  a  childhood   friend  on  March 26, 1942. Indira and Feroze were closely associated with the non-cooperation movement. On India's Independence she wrote : "It is one of the proudest and most exciting  moments  of  my  life".

Throughout Jawaharlal Nehru's tenure of 11 years as Prime Minister, Indira was active  at  home  in  various  capacities. She was the official hostess for her father and met a large number of world personalities, each new meeting and experience enriching her personality and preparing her for the role she would later play in  shaping  India.

In January 1966, she was sworn in as the Prime Minister of India.  Indira had a tough determination and led the country ahead with her inexhaustible capacity to work,  and  an uncanny sense  of timing. She had an intense love of life, and at the same time clarity, precision, a fierce courage, an inexhaustible energy and a concern  for  detail.

Under her dynamic leadership and guidance, India progressed on all fronts. Sensitive to the needs of the country with its multifarious religions, languages and customs, Indira dream and worked for a modern and self reliant India. Her policies, specially in areas of rural development, education, and industrial development, helped to create an economically sound climate in which the country and its vast  multitudes  of  people  progressed.

In the years of her leadership, full of activity and political turmoil, she found sustenance in nature and in a close identification with  the  creative  arts.  Immaculately  groomed, she was soon to be regarded as one of the most elegantly dressed  woman in  India.   Meeting and  talking to artists and writers, philosophers and scientists revived her, enriched her and provided her. with regenerating source of energy. She had a fund of anecdotes and the capacity to generate conversation tuned to the interests of her guests which made her a thoughtful and gracious hostess.

As chairperson of the Non-Aligned, she voiced concern for world  peace. In  telling words, she said "We must create a new international order of humanity where power is tempered  with  compassion, where knowledge and capability are at the service  of  all  humanity."

The Department of Posts pay its humble tribute to its charismatic and dynamic leader on her  birth  anniversary by issuing this commemorative  stamp.

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