We honor the achievements of early government officials and trailblazing women who were highlighted on Indian Postal stamps. The focus is on social reformers and freedom warriors. However, it has switched to focus on female leaders and artists in recent years. Women's history has a facet we must celebrate. Women have been part of Indian stamps for decades. The First Stamp of Independent India was issued on 21 November 1947. The first Indian woman on postage was Mirabai, issued on October 1, 1952, and was for 2 annas. Since then hundreds of Indian women stamps have been issued and they commemorated women from history to film actors.

The significance of the stamps featuring women is listed below. (corresponding to their stamp years)

(Source: Google Images) 

Mirabai (1952)

In 1952, Mirabai, a well-known follower of Krishna, became the first Indian woman to appear on a postal stamp. She became a national hero due to her devotion to Krishna and her Bhajans, which were devoted to Him. She was one of the most important saints of the Bhakti Movement. She gave up her regal rights and neglected her responsibilities as queen because of her labor of love—her devotion to Krishna.

Kalidasa’s Shankuntala (1960) 

In Hinduism, Shakuntala is the wife of Dushyanta and the mother of Emperor Bharata. A stamp was launched in 1960 to celebrate her story. Her most famous story is told in Kalidasa's play Abhijñānaśākuntala. Sir William Jones translated Shakuntala, the earliest Indian play, into a Western tongue in 1789. There were at least 46 translations in twelve European languages during the following century.

Annie Besant (1963)

With its main office located in Chennai, the Theosophical Society has Annie Besant as its second president. There are roads in India's major cities named after her. She was an orator, educator, feminist, and advocate for women's rights. Besant adhered to the principles of "free thought" as promoted by the National Secular Society.

Kasturba Gandhi (1964)

She was the wife of Mahatma Gandhi, a political fighter during the liberation struggle who was deeply committed to the freedom movements in India. Records about her indicate that despite always being in her husband's shadow, she was a strong leader who made the most of her time apart from him to develop her leadership abilities. She was a capable individual who made a substantial contribution to the Independence cause despite never having been trained to read or write. Despite her advanced age, she actively participated in the Civil Disobedience and Non-Cooperation activities and inspired the populace to agitate peacefully against the colonial rulers.

Sarojini Naidu (1964) 

She was the first Indian woman president of the Indian National Congress in addition to being a feminist, political activist, and poet. She was the daughter of Bengali Brahmin Aghorenath Chattopadhyaya, the principal of Hyderabad's Nizam's College. Her mother was a talented poet in her own right, having written poems in Bengali. Sarojini came from a well-educated family and enrolled in King's College in London early in 1895 before moving to Girton College in Cambridge.

Kittur Rani Chennamma (1977)

In several respects, Rani Chennamma was India's first female campaigner. Her contribution to the fight against oppression began long before the independence movement did. She faced the British Empire by herself, her blazing eyes bright and focused. Although Rani Chennamma was unable to drive them out, she did incite a large number of women to rebel against British control. She was the Queen of Kittur, the princely kingdom in Karnataka.

Durgabai Deshmukh (1982)

Durgabai was a social worker who, from a young age, bravely and courageously advocated for women's rights. She was a child bride who was sold to a wealthy zamindar (landlord) at the age of eight. Despite her parents' decision to marry her off, she continued to be inspired by them and deemed it their sole error. She had a social worker for a father. She was motivated during the ensuing years by Mahatma Gandhi and his initiatives. Gandhi met the 12-year-old girl and a group of Muslim and Devadasi ladies from Kakinada when he came to speak at a town hall meeting in 1921. Not only did she and her family give up all Western clothing after meeting him, but they also resolved to wear only Khadi. Later, she decided to drop out of school in opposition to the English language curriculum. At the age of fifteen, Durgabai was married and devoted herself to the independence fight. Following the British imprisonment of T Prakasam, another freedom fighter, she took the lead in the Salt Satyagraha movement in Madras.

Begum Hazrat Mahal  (1984)

She is one of India’s often forgotten heroines of independence. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Begum Hazrat Mahal, also known as the Begum of Awadh, led a revolt against the British East India Company. As the first wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, she took charge of the administration of Awadh and seized control of Lucknow after her husband was exiled to Calcutta.