No.47 Squadron Indian Air Force - "Black Archers", 2009 - Army Cover

The Award of Presidential Standard to 47 Squadron Air Force was celebrated on 10th November, 2009. On the occasion the Army Postal Service issued a special cover, a special cancellation and a brochure detailing the achievements of the squadron.

The crest of the unit is a figure of a kneeling "Black Archer" with drawn bow chosen for its suggestion of poised readiness. The motto of the unit and its meaning --

कर्मणि व्यापृतं धनुः

karmaṇi vyāpṛtam dhanuḥ

"My bow is stretched for its task".

In coining this motto, I have to think that the Rāmāyaṇa has influenced much. Part of this motto, i.e., vyāpṛtam dhanuḥ is mentioned in the Vālmīki-rāmāyaṇa, with a little variation -- vyāpāritam dhanuḥ. The context of course is war against Khara and Dūṣaṇa. The original ślokas according to the Southern recension* is quoted below:-

नानाप्रहरणोपेताः  खरप्रमुखराक्षसाः ।

तेन सजातरोषेण रामेण रणमूर्धनि ‌‍‍‍।। 

अनुक्त्वा परुषं किञ्चिच्छरैर्व्यापारितं धनुः ।

चतुर्दशसहस्राणि रक्षसामुग्रतेजसाम्  ।।

..... Rākṣasas possessed of exceeding prowess; equipped with various weapons, headed by Khara met with Rāma in the field. Getting enraged, Rāma without returning any harsh speech, by means of his shafts shot from his bow, -- with his flaming arrows slaughtered fourteen thousand Rākṣasas of fierce energy.**

*Śrīmad-vālmīki-rāmāyaṇa, Āraṇyakāṇḍa, Sarga 36, Śloka 7-8, Eds. Mm S. Kuppusvāmi Śāstrin, Mm Kṛṣṇa Śāstrin, Padmanābha Śāstrin and Rāmacandra Dīkṣita, Madras Law Journal Press, Madras, 1933, (p. 353).

**Tr. Manmatha Nāth Dutt, Calcutta, 1891.

Headquarters 191 Infantry Brigade, 2009 - Army Cover

The Army Postal Services commemorated the Diamond Jubilee of 191 Infantry Brigade by issuing a special cover, special cancellation and a brochure on 5.9.2009.

The cover* carries a Sanskrit motto --

युद्धं विजयते प्रज्ञम्
yuddhaṃ vijayate prajñam
"The wise wins the war"

*The first and the last words are totally mis-spelt on the cover.

Air Defence Artillery, 1998 - Army Cover

The 1st Reunion was celebrated by the Air Defence Artillery on 23rd December, 1998 by issuing a special cover, special cancellation and a brochure.

The cover carries the regimental motto* of the Army Air Defence which is in Sanskrit --

आकाशे शत्रून् जहि 

ākāśe śatrūn jahi

"Kill the enemy in the sky."

                                 *The second word in the engraved motto is mis-spelt (if it is Sanskrit).

Sriram Sharma Acharya, 1991, Stamp, First Day Cover, Brochure

Pandit Sriram Sharma Acharya had compiled and translated the 4 Vedas, 108 Upaniṣads, 6 Darśanas, 18 Purāṇas, and Yogavāsiṣtha with lucid summarised translations in Hindi prose to enable the masses to understand the knowledge contained in them. 

India Post issued a commemorative stamp, FDC and brochure on 27.6.1991 to honour Śrī  Sriram Sharma Acharya, in the denomination of 100P.

Sriramanashramam Pictorial Postmark, 2014 - Private Cover

A private cover with a Permanent Pictorial Postmark provided at Sriramanashramam PO was released on 1.9.2014. The postmark is engraved with the phrase in Sanskrit --

ओं नमो भगवते श्रीरमणाय

All India Radio, 1961 - Stamp

This commemorative stamp was issued on 8th June, 1961 on the occasion of the the Silver Jubilee celebrations of All India Radio.

The emblem of AIR contains the Sanskrit word --

आकाशवाणी

ākāśavānī

"Message from the sky" 

In the Itihāsas and Purāṇās we often come across the word Ākāśavānī which also means "celestial announcements". 

It is worth mentioning that this word was coined by M. V. Gopalaswamy after setting up the nation’s first private radio station in his residence.

The emblem also contains the phrase in Sanskrit --

बहुजनहिताय बहुजनसुखाय​
bahujanahitāya bahujanasukhāya

 "For the welfare of all - For the comfort of all"

C. D. Deshmukh, 2004 - Stamp, First Day Cover, Brochure

Sir Chintaman Dwarakanath Deshmukh was the first Indian to be appointed Governor of the Reserve Bank of India in 1943 and was part of the official Indian delegation to the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference that led to the creation of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. He served as the Union Finance Minister during 1950 to 1956 under Nehru and was a founding member of NCAER’s first Governing Body. He later served as Chairman of the University Grants Commission and Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University, during which time he also founded the India International Centre.  He was honoured by the President of India with the Padma Vibhushan in 1975. (Courtesy : NCAER) 

Besides being an outstanding Economist, CD Deshmukh was a well-known linguist and a scholar in Sanskrit. He transcreated the Meghadutam of Kalidasa into English, wrote on Amarakośa : Gems From Treasure House Of Sanskrit World and a compendium --Saṃskr̥takāvyamālikā.