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August 15, 1948. The first set of Gandhi stamps, issued on the first Anniversary of India's independence. Originally intended to be issued on Gandhi's 80th birthday (2 October 1949), the first set of Gandhi stamps were released prematurely six months after Gandhi's assassination, on the first anniversary of India's independence.  Until today, these are the only Indian stamps to contain descriptive text both in Devanagiri (Hindi) and Arabic (Urdu) script, reflecting on Gandhi's relentless struggle for communal harmony and religious tolerance.   Both languages refer to the late leader as he often was- as Father.