The World Philately News Dt: 08.08.2021
Courtesy Mr Bibhuti Mohan Mohanty
The *Quit India Movement,* also known as the August Movement was a *Civil Disobedience Movement* launched by Gandhi for Satyagraha (independence).
The movement was accompanied by a mass protest on non-violent lines, in which Gandhi called for _“an orderly British withdrawal from India”._ Through his passionate speeches, Gandhi moved people by proclaiming _“every Indian who desires freedom and strives for it must be his own guide…”. “Let every Indian consider himself to be a free man”,_ Gandhi declared in his fiery _“Do or Die”_ speech the day the Quit India Movement was declared.
The British were prepared for this massive uprising and within a few hours of Gandhi’s speech most of the Indian National Congress leaders were swiftly arrested; most of whom had to spend the next three years in jail, until World War II ended. During this time the British were deriving heavy support from the Viceroy’s Council, Muslims, the Communist Party, princely states, the Indian Army and the Civil Services. Most Indian businessmen were experiencing profits due to wartime spending and hence did not support the _Quit India Movement._ Most students were drawn towards _Subhas Chandra Bose_ who was in exile and the only support Indian got from outside the country was from American President _Franklin D. Roosevelt,_ who compelled the then British Prime Minister _Winston Churchill_ to agree to the demands of the Indians. But the British refused to do so and said that this would only be possible when _World War II_ ended.
Mr Rajeev Kholi
The highest number of orchid species is recorded from Arunachal Pradesh with 612 species, followed by Sikkim 560 species and West Bengal; Darjeeling Himalayas have also high species concentration, with 479 species.
While north-east India rank at the top in species concentration, the Western Ghats have high endemism of orchids.
There are 388 species of orchids, which are endemic to India of which about one-third (128) endemic species are found in Western Ghats.
Marked by extremely beautiful flowers with unique shape and ornamentation, orchids have complex floral structure that facilitates biotic cross-pollination and makes them evolutionarily superior to the other plant groups.
Another interesting factor is that the entire orchid family is listed under appendix II of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and hence any trade of wild orchid is banned globally.
• The Shaheed Smarak or Martyr's Memorial or Satmurthi at Patna is a life-size statue of seven young men who sacrificed their lives on August 11, 1942, while attempting to hoist the tricolour flag on the Secretariat building during the Quit India Movement.
• The foundation stone was laid on 15 August 1947, by the Governor of Bihar, H.E. Jairam Das Daulatram and was dedicated to the nation by the first President of India, Babu Rajendra Prasad on October 24, 1956.
• The bronze structure known for its architectural magnificence is situated adjacent to the Eastern Gate of the Secretariat building at Patna.
• Deviprasad Roychoudhury, Principal of Government College of Arts & Crafts, Madras sculpted the huge bronze statue cast in Italy.
• The seven students are clad in dhoti kurta and cap, the first one holding the flag marches ahead his finger pointing towards the pier of the Secretariat. Of the six others, five have already been hit by bullets and hold on to the last remaining one in the center stands tall like a warrior, ready to take place of the flag bearer when he falls.
• The British Indian Military Police under the orders of the District Magistrate W.G. Archer shot at the students at 0200 pm to thwart their persistent and non violent attempts. The firing left 7 dead, and 14 wounded.
• The eldest of them, Jagapati Kumar was the only college student while the six others Ramanand Singh, Satish Prasad Jha, Umakant Prasad Sinha, Devipada Choudhary, Rajendra Singh and Ramgovind Singh were the students of class IX and X.
• The Department of Posts issued a commemorative postage stamp on October 01, 1962 on the 25th anniversary of the Quit India Movement. The maroon coloured stamp in the denomination of 15p depicts the Martyrs Memorial at Patna.
The Shaheed Smarak or Martyrs Memorial at Patna has subsequently featured on a variety of philatelic materials
An OPE Collected and Compiled by Dr. M.K.SUDHAKAR. MD, Philatelic Hobbyist, Chennai, and Life Member SIPA.)
#1 FDC issued on August 15 1998 , India Struggle for Freedom features the Shaheed Smarak Patna on the pictorial cancellation
#2 #1 FDC issued on January 29, 2001 India Struggle for Freedom features the Shaheed Smarak Patna on the FDC
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