Currency - India - 5 Rupees - Year 1970

Item code: 101/IN-25

Special Gandhi Issue

Year	1970
Obverse	Numeral "5" at center; Lion Capital of Ashoka on the right side.
Reverse	Mahatma Gandhi seated at center in prayer with background of Ashram, denomination in 13 regional languages
Watermark	Lion Capital of Asoka
Size	117 x 63 mm
Signature	B. N. Adarkar (Governor, 4 May 1970-15 June 1970)

About the Currency:           

About the Governor

Bhaskar Namdeo Adarkar

Bhaskar Namdeo Adarkar MBE (18 May 1910–20 March 1998) was the ninth Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 4 May 1970 to 15 June 1970. His term was the second-shortest (42 days) after Amitav Ghosh who had served for only 20 days. His term was short since he was filling in as interim before S. Jaganathan took over. 

Unlike his predecessors who were from the Indian Civil Service, Adarkar was an economist and had served in the office of the Economic Adviser of the Government of India. Prior to that he had held various important positions in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1946 New Year Honours. He was the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank before filling in as interim Governor. In March 1947 before Indian independence he was appointed by the Government of India to create a health insurance scheme for industrial workers. A year later the report he submitted became the basis for the Employment State Insurance (ESI) Act of 1948.

During his tenure the Indian Rupee notes of denominations 2, 5, 10, and 100, commemorating the birth centenary of Mahatma Gandhi was reissued on 24 August 1970, these notes bear his signature, the earlier issue bears the signature of L. K. Jha. Due to his short interim term his signature does not appear on any other Indian rupee notes. 

He also served as India's Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund. Adarkar was involved in the establishment of the National Institute of Bank Management.

बी एन आदरकार

बी एन आदरकार 4 मई 1970 में से 15 जून 1970 तक भारतीय रिज़र्व बैंक के नौवें गवर्नर थे। उनका कार्यकाल केवल 42 दिनों का रहा, जो की अमिताभ घोष (20 दिन) के बाद दूसरा सबसे छोटा था। उनका कार्यकाल इतना छोटा इसलिए था क्यूंकि वह एस जगन्नाथन के पदभार सँभालने के पहले केवल अंतरिम रूप से इस पद को भर रहे थे। अपने पूर्ववर्तियों के विपरीत, जो की भारतीय सिविल सेवा से थे, आदरकार एक अर्थशास्त्री थे और भारत सरकार के आर्थिक सलाहकार के कार्यालय में काम किया। इससे पहले वह वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्रालय में विभिन्न महत्वपूर्ण पदों का कार्यभार संभाल चुके थे। अंतरिम गवर्नर बनने के पूर्व वह रिजर्व बैंक के डिप्टी गवर्नर थे।

उनके कार्यकाल में महात्मा गांधी की जन्म शताब्दी के उपलक्ष्य में 24 अगस्त 1970 को 2, 5, 10 और 100 के मूल्यवर्ग के भारतीय नोट, फिर से जारी किये गए थे। इन नोटों पर उनके हस्ताक्षर हैं, जबकि इसके पहले जारी की गयी नोट श्रृंखला पर एल के झा के हस्ताक्षर हैं।

Gandhi as versatile personality who inspired several world leaders

Much has been said and written about India’s Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma and ‘father of our nation’, about his role in India’s freedom struggle, as well his ideals of Ahimsa (non-violence) and Satyagraha (Truth), which is relevant even in the current global scenario. He is indeed a legend, a great soul, and a versatile personality who inspired several world leaders like President John F. Kennedy, President Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and many others.

No other leader is being remembered the way he has been and he is the only personality on whom commemorative stamps and other postal stationery were issued by over 91 countries between 1948 and 2016 — rather till today, many on the eve of his birth centenary in 1969.

This is the largest issue on any personality in the 176-year-old history of philately and includes an embossed plastic stamp from Bhutan, six British post offices issuing commemoratives, First Day Covers and Brochures and even US with two commemoratives, an FDC and a brochure.

One of the special covers at the recent World Stamp Show held between May 28-June 4, 2016 in New York is on Gandhi. The latest is the special Picture Post Card series by Agra Circle of India Post on Oct. 02, 2016, the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti (marking his birthday) to commemorate the spirit of Swachh Bharat (clean India drive). The eight-post card series a limited number print with only 250 sets relate to Gandhi and Swachh Bharat.

Gandhi’s journey from Mohandas to Mahatma was not a flash in the pan but a calculated strategy. After being thrown out of a first class compartment from a train in South Africa by a white man, an angry Barrister Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi just did not fume in anger and protest. But allowed his anger to grow further not only to avenge the insult but to end colonialism.

And he succeeded. Westerners are known for their planning but Gandhi’s planning puts them to shame even today. Modern written history has no other example to produce.

Stamps on Gandhi are a study on Gandhi’s life, his ideals and views on universal brotherhood, communal harmony and social upliftment; his vision of peaceful coexistence, end to colonial exploitation and enduring peace in the world; major events in his life as a tough and man of conviction and a believer in non-violence.

Gandhi in stamps and coins is indeed a new dimension, which surpasses volumes of all kinds of writings ever written on him. These stamps, sheetlets, souvenirs and miniatures depict his image as the dynamic and a multidimensional personality who asserted Hindu ethics; discarded Western ways; practiced asceticism; defied the Raj, launched civil disobedience movement and went to jail; campaigned for non-violence and passive resistance, and fasted unto death in the post-Independent India as a political weapon to force the Nehru government to restore peace and order when independent India was in turmoil in the aftermath of the partition. He was shot dead on Jan. 30, 1948, while on way to attend a prayer meeting in Delhi.

Stamps and coins on Gandhi may inspire rather provoke researchers to search for the truth when history is being distorted. Gandhi has become the only personality on whom most post offices have been issuing special covers highlighting different aspects of his life during the freedom struggle. These FDCs include covers manufactured with raw papers; covers with a new printing technology highlighting the selected areas with Gloss UV and Matt UV effect; innovations like Gandhi holding a broom and wooden stick etc.

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