An iconic presence in Tamil cinema for five decades, Sivaji Ganesan (1928-2001) is one among the most charismatic film actors of all time.

Hailing from a middle class family of Villupurarn in Tamil Nadu, the young Ganesan was fiercely independent even as a child . He left home at the age of six to pursue a career in acting. Joining a theatre group, he went on to establish a good reputation as an actor. He was subsequently christened 'Sivaji' after his outstanding portrayal of the great Maratha warrior in the play Sivaji Kanda Hindu Rajyam.

Sivaji Ganesan made his debut into the film industry with Parasakthi, which was a huge success at the box office. His histrionic skills - body language, dialogue delivery and facial expressions - were clearly a departure from the prevailling schools of film-acting marked by wooden performances. He electrified the audience and cast a spell of magnetism over them, that was to last for many decades.  A  remarkable  feature  of  his  illustrious  career spanning 301 films was that he played the protagonist in most of them. The sheer range of roles he handled is breathtaking. A majestic king from another era, a common man of today fighting heavy odds in an unfriendly world, a villain who personifies evil, the familiar romantic hero, an upright police officer, an octogenarian Shiva devotee and the awe-inspiring Lord Shiva himself - Sivaji had portrayed them all with unparalleled aplomb. Films like Veera Pandia Kattabomman, Kappalotiya Thamizhan, Thiruvillaiyadal, Thillana Mohanambal, Thangapathakkam, Muthal Mariyadhai and Thevar Magan were land marks not just in his career, but in the Tamil film industry itself as well.

Sivaji Ganesan was also a philanthropist who took up numerous worthy causes and worked wholeheartedly for them. A diehard nationalist, he would rush to entertain and liven up the morale of the country's armed forces wherever the need arose. Some of his foreign tours were memorable, when he charmed the people of countries like the USA and Mauritius as a cultural ambassador par excellence. He also served as a Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) from 1983 to 1986. Many awards and distinctions were conferred on this multifaceted personality, prominent among them being the Padma Bhushan (1984), Chevalier of Arts title of the French Government (1995) and the Dada Saheb Phalke Award (1996).

The Department of Posts is happy to issue a commemorative postage stamp honouring Sivaji Ganesan.

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