Indian women have excelled in all branches or walks of life. The 2025 theme, ‘Accelerate Action,’ calls for rapid advancements in gender equality.
The famous devotee of Krishna, Mirabai was the first Indian woman to be on a postal stamp in 1952. A First Day Cover with the Mirabai which was released on October 1, 1952. A block of 4 of the 525th Birth Anniversary of Saint Meera Bai and a first day cover on the 525th birth Anniversary of Saint Meera Bai was also released.
Many stamps were released on important women who were the first freedom fighters and fought shoulder to shoulder for India’s independence. Some of the early stamps included Sarojini Naidu, Kamala Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur and Vijayalakshmi Pandit.
Indian Cinema
On February 13, 2011, six commemorative stamps featuring famous Indian actresses—Meena Kumari, Nutan, Leela Naidu, Devika Rani, Savithri Devi and Kanan Devi—were released at Indipex.
Permanent commission
to women officers in
the Indian Army
Army Chief General M M Naravane in 2022 released a set of 4 postage stamps, commemorating permanent commission to women officers in the Indian Army. A First Day Cover with the four stamps was released with the Panaji Cancellation.
Paris Olympics
During the recently held Paris Olympics in 2024, Manu Bhaker became the most successful Indian woman shooter in history. She teamed up with Sarabjot Singh to win bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, making her the first athlete from independent India to win two medals at a single Olympic Games. A Picture Postcard on Manu Bhaker was released.
Dr M R Ramesh Kumar will be exhibiting a 5 frames (80 sheets) Philatelic Exhibition on Women who stamped their legacy through stamps at the Goa Science Centre, Miramar, on March 8 and 9. The Department of Posts, Goa Postal Division will be releasing a special cancellation at the Philatelic Bureau, Panaji on March 8 on International Women’s Day.
Bhakti Kulkarni
Indian chess player Bhakti Kulkarni received the FIDE titles of Woman Grandmaster (WGM) in 2012 and International Master (IM) in 2019. A picture postcard on her was released by the Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra Circle, on International Youth Day 2022 under the title ‘Saluting the youth icons of Maharashtra and Goa’.
Lata Mangeshkar
With a career spanning eight decades, Lata Mangeshkar is considered to be one of the greatest singers of the Indian Subcontinent. Lata Mangueshkar and Mohammed Rafi had sung more than 400 plus duets during their long musical career. A special Cover on Lata Mangueshkar with Mohammed Rafi stamp.
Libia Lobo Vaman Sardesai
Voice of Freedom was an underground that transmitted across Portuguese Goa from 1955 to 1961, by late Vaman Sardesai and Libia Lobo Sardesai, advocating the cause of the Goan Independence Movement. Further, she received the Padma Shri Award for Social Work which was announced recently.