Giani Zail Singh born in Sandhwan, Faridkot district on 5 May 1916 to Kishan Singh. He was a Sikh by religion, was given the title of Gyani, as he was educated and learned about Guru Granth Sahib at Shaheed Sikh Missionary College in Amritsar.
He studied all Hindu, Muslim and Sikh scriptures. He joined the freedom struggle at the tender age of 15. From a simple rural lad he soon became an ardent champion of India's fight for emancipation from feudal and foreign yoke. Zail Singh joined the Riyasati Praja Mandal in 1938 and formed a branch of the Congress Committee in Faridkot. He was physically assaulted by the Maharaja's police, arrested and in a sham trial was imprisoned for five years. Zail Singh suffered various types of torture in prison, but did not yield his self respect, and refused to apologize.
In April 1946, Giani Zail Singh launched a Satyagraha movement. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru visited Faridkot and led a mass of people with Gianiji in the vanguard to hoist the tricolour. Giani declared an open revolt against the feudal rule and set up a parallel Government. Giani was sworn in as minister in the first PEPSU government in 1946 and was unanimously elected President of the PEPSU Congress in 1955. He became a member of the Rajya Sabha in 1956 and in 1962. After being elected Member of the Punjab assembly, he became a minister in the state. In 1966 he was unanimously elected President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress and in 1972 became the Chief Minister of Punjab. After being elected to the Lok Sabha in 1979, he was included in Smt. Indira Gandhi's cabinet as Home Minister.
In 1982 Gianiji took oath, as the seventh President of the Republic. He was a champion of national unity and stood steadfast on the principle of secularism. His origins were humble but his achievements were remarkable. He won the hearts of the masses and was described as the President of the people.
On November 29, 1994, he met with an accident on his way to his pilgrimage to Anandpur Sahib. He was admitted in Chandigarh, but succumbed to his injuries on December 25, 1994. At 79 He was cremated at the Raj Ghat Memorial in old Delhi.
Department of Posts released a commemorative postage stamp on the occasion of Singh's first death anniversary in 1995.
Issued Date: 25.12.1995
Denomination :100 paise
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