New Stamp issues India 2026 – Pandit Chatur Lal

Technical Details

A Commemorative Postage stamp of Rupees Five was issued on 16 Apr 2026 on Pandit Chatur Lal (1926-1965) to mark his Birth Centenary. The stamps were printed by the wet offset printing process and printed at Security Printing Press at Hyderabad. The quantity printed is 3,02,800.

Professional Journey

Pandit Chatur Lal (1925–1965) was one of India’s earliest internationally acclaimed tabla players. A Doyen of Indian Classical Music. He played Tabla and started his career at All India Radio in 1947.

He collaborated with renowned musicians such as Ravi Shankar, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Yehudi Menuhin, helping bring Indian classical music to Western audiences. Known for his clarity of rhythm and mastery of the Punjab gharana style, he played a significant role in establishing tabla as a global instrument.

Contribution to Music across Globe

The “Drums of India” and “Drums On Fire” are some of the important solo recordings of Pandit Chatur Lal in Hollywood’s ‘World Pacific Recordings’. He also composed and gave music for a short animated Canadian film ‘A Chairy Tale’, ‘A Certain View’, ‘Now what my Little Man’. A French Television also made a short documentary film on him “Rythmes d’aillenres”.

Philatelic Significance

This commemorative issue highlights India’s tradition of honoring eminent personalities in arts and culture through postage stamps.

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Source – India Post and Brochure issued by India Post.

Image Courtesy India Post