1963, Freedom From Hunger
The Freedom from Hunger campaign was launched by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 1960 to mobilise the international community to fight the ongoing challenges of hunger and malnutrition. To maximise visibility for the campaign, the FAO requested all the UN member states to issue a stamp with the campaign branding in 1963, the year of the World Food Congress. As a result, India Post issued this stamp on 21st March 1963.
FAO Director General Binay Ranjan Sen (left) with US Senator Bob Dole in 1965.
Copyright: Public Domain
The campaign, conceived by Binay Ranjan Sen, an Indian civil servant who assumed leadership of the FAO in 1956, resulted in the largest ever joint issue of stamps to date, with 153 countries participating.
Mr. Sen was the first head of a UN agency from a developing country. He conceived of the worldwide campaign against hunger and malnutrition, bringing together UN agencies, governments, NGOs, private business and millions of individuals to seek to formulate solutions and raise awareness around the issue.
India was one of the founding members of FAO in 1945, and FAO started its operations in India in 1948.
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