Babu Banarsi Das, popularly known as Babuji, was born on 8'h July, 1912 in village Utarawli, District Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh.

He participated in the freedom struggle from a young age as a result of which he could not have much formal education. He had complete command over many languages such as Sanskrit, Urdu, Hindi and English. During the freedom struggle, he faced severe hardships due to his opposition to the British government. He was jailed several times but never gave up his struggle for India's independence. He actively participated in the Non-cooperation movement.

After independence of the country in 1947, he was elected unopposed to the State Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh. Thereafter, he was elected to the State Assembly several times during which he headed various departments as minister, and became Speaker and Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Babuji sowed the seeds of true economic self reliance and independence  for the common farmer in the state by spearheading the cooperative movement and sustaining it to empower  its  people. As  a  result  of  his  efforts, Cooperative Act was enacted in 1965. As a Cooperative Minister, he ensured constitution of various cooperative societies in the entire State of U.P. He initiated the idea of starting agro­ processing units at a time when people were even unaware of it. He was also elected to the Rajya Sabha in the year 1972 and later represented Bulandshahar in Lok Sabha.

He strongly advocated female education. Due to his efforts, in Bulandshahar alone, more than 150 schools were opened. Babu Banarsi Das's enthusiasm for life and capacity for hard work manifested in his being a great organizational worker, a scholar of several languages and a visionary for his state and its people.

He left for heavenly abode on 03.08.1985. Department  of Posts is happy to  release a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Babu Banarsi Das.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India