Postal dept to bring out commemorative stamp on Raja Todar Mal

07 August, Lucknow

The Department of Post would be issuing a commemorative postage of Akbar’s Navaratna Raja Todar Mal later this year, official sources said today.

The Postal department has accepted the demand of BJP MP from Sitapur Rajesh Verma, who had sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to issue a commemorative stamp on Raja Todar Mal way back in December 2015.

According to Mr Verma, recently the Postal department has informed him that the commemorative stamp would be released this year. In the letter of the Postal department, sent last month, the department said that the commemorative stamp on Raja Todar Mal would be of Rs 5 denomination and will be issued only once as there would be no re-print or re-issue.

The department said that the date of the release of the commemorative stamp would be announced after completion of the formalities.

The letter further says that as per the revised Rule 18 of the Rules for issuing commemorative postage stamp by Department of Post, the proponents for stamps relating to institutions/events/large organisations required to make a mandatory purchase of minimum number of one lakh stamps.

Todar Mal was the Finance Minister of the Mughal empire during Akbar’s reign. He was one of the Navaratnas in Akbar’s durbar. Todar Mal was born in Laharpur (Sitapur district) in a Hindu family, considered by historians as either Agarwal, Khatri or Kayastha.
Though the date of birth of Todar Mal is not known but he died in Lahore on November 8, 1589. Hence the commemorative stamp could be released on his death anniversary, the BJP MP said.